There are a lot of ways to learn how to fly RC. There's the renegade way: no AMA no field no research no practice, just buy it build it go out to a vacant field and throw it.
There's the AMA way: go to the club hang out fly the club planes spend a bunch of money and join the club hang out some more build the plane hang out with the instructor jump through the hoops and in a few years of hanging out you can fly whenever you want.
then there's the computer age way:set up your computer to hook up with your computer TX and fly your brains out on a computer sim using your computer TX read all the post on the RC UNIVERSE site on your computer buy a trainer put some servos and a RX with computer chips in it put a computerized dual axis stabilization system on the now fully computerized trainer and put your computer sim skills to the real world test.

If you spend any time on the sim AT ALL you will be able to tell if the plane is coming or going.

I used the computer way. I joined the local public flying field for $20/yr and an AMA membership. I busted a bunch of props learning how to land, had a few minor crashes with my trainer, none of which destroyed the plane or engine. As a matter fact I think the co-pilot actually helped in the crashes, because in each crash the co-pilot eventually overcame My dumb thumbs (as I screamed out the F word at the last minute) and the plane pancaked instead of lawn darting thereby reducing the damage.

I have a blast every time I fly and I think I'm addicted big time to this real time, non-virtual, computerized sport.