RE: First Time kit to Build?
Here's a litst of a couple:
Low wings:
Any of the Sig 4 star's, they are all lazer cut and sig has some of nicest wood and hardware for their kits. Or club pylon races 4* star 40's they are quite fast with the right motor.
Sig Something Extra: Builds at least as easy as a four star, anyone who follows instructions should not have a problem building this. (this is the most aerobatic of the low wings)
Great Planes Rapture: the hardware and wood will be inferior to sig but costs a few $$$ less.
Venture 40 or 60: share the same designers as the 40 star, think of them as a revised version
Goldberg Tigers: Another laser cut kit with good wood, the 60 size is a very stable flier that can be used for sportsman pattern.
Shoulder wings: (in my opinon not quite as much fun as a the low wings.)
Probabily any big /ugly stick would do. (look for a plane with a big square fuselage and an even bigger symmeterical wing on top.) Wouldn't mess with flaps for a first time flier. Some of these planes come with huge surfaces and quad flaps ( Hangar 9 Ugly stick and Jerry's Big Boy) and are not suitable for a second plane. They are valued by advanced pilots because of their agility and ability to do some of the 3D moves.
Goldberg Senior Falcon, Sig Cavalier or GP Easy sport. (Though all three are a different size they are essential copies of each other.)
That should keep you busy for a while.