I'm self-taught, so I can understand your dilema. For myself, I'd grown up playing with aircraft. Everything from paper planes to stick and tissue to control line. I'd played with RC cars, so I had some experience with the radio and with left and right switching around. On top of all that, I'd been a veracious reader on all things related to flight for years. That all combined to give me a very, very good foundation. My experience was a positive one, with my first flights going without a hitch.

My opinion is that if you don't have some of that knowledge, you'll become frustrated and disappointed. Order some books about RC flying. They'll give you a consistency that you won't find online. We always forget to mention little things. Order a video of flight training, so that you've got some sort of visual reference and an idea of how fast things happen.

If that radio had been sitting in the toy shop for some time, make sure you test the batteries before you fly. I don't mean just making sure that they work, either. You've got to find out if they've got enough capacity to get you through a flying session.