Depends on your budget and what you want to do. IF your on a tight budget go with a 30. If you can spend a bit now at the start and want to do aerobatics then I'd recomend a 50 (I went with the R50). If you want to get the biggest and the best and don't mind the extra repair, running, and crashing cost of the 60 then go with the 60.

The bigger the machine the easier it is to fly, I think that the R50 is a GREAT choice because it offers ease of learning and will take you into extreme 3D. The R50 is not much more than a 30 but does cost a little more to run (fuel goes down about 1.5 times faster), the crash cost is about the same, though.

Now before you get the heli the best thing to do is go out and get yourself a good flight sim, a good radio, and a good gyro, in that order. Then you can think about what type of helicopter to get. I'm sure there are quite a few who will agree with me.

I didn't quite learn the hard way, but I was sure close to it!