Im kinda surprised to see how unorganized some people are. Im part of a club. I joined right after i got my trainer, before that i joined the AMA. Who cant afford twenty bucks? If you walk across the NYC once, you can pick up half that amount in pennies. Well anyway, i didn't go to the field just yet. FIrst i contacted the president of the club and asked him if there are any good instructors around that can help me. He gave me a list of phone # and i contacted one of them. HE WAS GOING TO BE MY ONLY INSTRUCTOR. SO for those who were switching around a bit between instructors, its no good. Chose on, contact him. Then Ive set up times and days i will be at the field. PRetty much every time i go to the field, there are at least 15 people there to help out, or just learning like i am. THe learning curve for me was short because i used FMS alot, and the most important thing in this hobby is coordination of you to the plane. ONce you got that down, there really are no reason for you to lose your aircraft, unless you get nervous and spas out at the sticks.MY first solo, my knees were shaking ALOT, i forced them down, and did well. Sure some of my landing weren't pretty, but my trainer is still intact. So just going to the field and expecting someone there to teach you is a bad idea. YOu have to know what you are going to do and get prepared. This hobby is the best out there, and im going to start a kit eventually after i get bored with my trainer. NO matter how docile the Tower HObbies Trainer .46 is, its pretty darn fun to do loops and rolls on. I cant get bored of it so its just waiting for the next flight. THe worst part of this hobby is, apart form crashing, is having to wait until your batteries are charged. Also the community at the field is great. ITs so fun talking about politics and RC at the same time with 40-60 year old guys. Im 16, and its just hilarious to me, and im like the silent flyer there. I think there is no way of learning by your self. IF you think its too expensive to get an AMA card, too expensive to join a club, think how much you will pay to buy a new airplane? You have have to invest a little to get the most out of the hobby. THe only thing thats pissing me off, is the fact that im not investing in my sailplane. I was supposed to learn how to fly it but for some strange reason, im too scared to wip out the 50-60 bucks for a receiver and battery.

So now im going to make an attempt to answer the question:

1) You might not need an instructor if your willing to PAY the consequences

2) You might not need an instructor if you build a SPAD

3) You might not need an instructor if you buy a 30$ piece of crap from toys r us, because then your wasting your time and the instructors.

THats it.