ORIGINAL: Firehawk153
Wow! Thank you guys so much for all the responses. I didn't know that there were available resources for finding instructors; I'll definatley look into that. As for the aircraft, I took a look at the nexstar .40 and that looks like it would be better for me than the Alpha; mainly because the simulator would allow me to practice as much as I can on my own.
Also, What about an electric trainer that was similar to the Nexstar or Alpha? Could I use that to get used to flying a plane with ailerons and more complex controls, but at a more manageable electric-aircraft speed? Or would it be better to buy something like the Nexstar or Alpha and pay an instructor?
The AMA club locator is one of the best places to find an instructor:
http://www.modelaircraft.org/clubsearch.aspx
If you want to fly glow, get a glow trainer. If you want to stay with electrics, get an electric with ailerons. Using a more advanced electric plane as a bridge to a glow plane is just going to cost more time and money, and delay your eventual transition to glow.
And this thing about paying for an instructor, the only ones I've ever heard who would even accept payment were those running special R/C schools, where they supply the field, plane, and intense instruction, or perhaps people teaching advanced flying. I'd say 99.999% of the instructors out there teach for free.