Welcome to the insanity, I mean hobby.

Definitely find a local club and talk to them and get an instructor. It will save you a lot of greif and money.

I WOULD NOT suggest an RTF for the following reasons:

1. The engine in the majority of them is a bushed bearing .40 This engine can be anywhere from marginal to OK FOR THE TRAINER, but is rarely useable, do to lack of power, in a second plane.

2. The transmitter is USUALLY a base level 4 channel radio. You will have no choice of channel and rarely will you have a choice of brand. For learning (normally done with a buddy box cord which connects your transmitter to an instructor's transmitter) this may create a problem since many of the radios are not compatible with each other for a buddy box cord. Being unable to select the channel you want may mean you will have long waits at the flying field before your channel is clear and you can fly.

3. You will have absolutely no knowledge on how the plane goes together or how the equipment is installed. This may be a problem when (not if, but when) you need to make repairs.

4. With some careful shopping you can get a good BALL BEARING .46 engine, an ARF trainer and a good 6 channel COMPUTER radio for the price of some RTFs and frequently no more than 15% over the price of many RTFs. You will then have equipment that will grow with you and an engine that is extremely useable in a second, or more, planes, without having to go out and buy more equipment.