as one who has seen &trained a good #of beginners and observed a lot more , it WILL take you a lot longer(may be never )to just solo, much less become a proficient flyer,subject to some interpretation as to "proficient".certainly the park flyer may be the route to go if you just want a taste. learning to fly is not easy even for those who seem to get the knack easier than others. .age plays a part as well as equipment. even afterwards there are challenges. thats why you dont see everyone doing it. I have seen occasional minded flyers, years later still barely able to fly and unable to handle even mild events /wind etc simply because they dont get out there enough.if you spend all your time in the pits drinking coffee/ BSing, you wont get very far in the hobby.