I solo'ed last August using a Hobbico NexSTAR Select. It comes RTF (ready to fly) (takes 20 minutes to an hour to build but as someone else said, overnight to charge the batteries). It comes with the radio, a basic Futaba four channel and of course a receiver, a good OS 46 engine, and the Great Planes RealFlight simulator for the NexSTAR. It flew pretty much right out of the box and flew well. I had a buddy box and worked with my instructor. He pointed out many things that I would have never learned without an instructor.

I managed to survive the entire training period with only minor mishaps, broken props, and managed to push the left side main landing gear back to the rear former, but fiberglass and epoxy fixed that and I was up and flying the next day. Mainly, though, the instructor will drill you on 'emergency procedures' and proper approach for landing. Emergency procedures such as dead stick and loss of orientation are the two major items that he should cover that you will not get unless you have an instructor.

The AMA has a club locator and can probably find that there is one much closer to you than Albany.

Best of luck.

Dick.