If you want to keep your costs down, you will have to learn from an instructor, which usually means joining the AMA and an AMA chartered club. A good simulator, like RealFlight G2/G3, Aerofly Pro, or Reflex will help you to learn faster and reduce crash costs as well. If you want to learn on your own w/o an instructor or a simulator, be prepared for lots of time and $$$ rebuilding your plane. Flying an RC plane is not like bashing around your driveway with an RC car...