I would recommend going to www.jetworksmodels.com.

Download a set of plans for which ever plane that you like. You can use the recommended GWS set-ups for your initial flights, and then when you are ready, move up to brushless.

I would recommend building it from blue fanfold foam. You can purchase blue fanfold foam from Lowes or Home Depot. If you use the fanfold foam, you will have enough for multiple planes. This way if you crash it, you can simply build another one. If you purchase a kit plane, and crash it, you will have to order another kit. This can be an expensive and time consuming way to get into 3D flight.

Most kits will cost between $30-$60. With one pack of fanfold you can make around 8 planes, and the cost for the foam is about 25 bucks.

The other advantage to using fanfold, is that it is thicker than most of the foams provided in kits, which will make the plane fly a little better outdoors. This way you can practice 3D manuvers at a high enough altitude, where if you make a mistake you have enough altitude to recover before a crash.

Once you become adept at flying 3D maneuvers, you can also make the same plane from depron foam. Since you will already be accustomed to flying that perticular plane, you will be able to increase your skills with a much lighter plane.

I wish I had followed my own advice. I would have spent far less money and probably still have some of my original planes.

Enjoy