Even the best setup helicopter will NOT FLY IT'S SELF.

It's not like you just lift off the ground and the helicoper will hover there with no stick input from you.

A helicopter really is like trying to balance a marble on a piece of glass. Once the helicopter starts going in a given direction, it will not stop untill you tell it to go the OTHER direction to counter it's original direction. Most newbies almost always over-counter, and you get a wild pendulum effect with the helicopter, which usually ends up with the helicopter ending up on it's side in the dirt

The joker is easy to fly, yes. So are many 30 and 50 size nitro helicopters. But the joker is a seriously powerful machine. The idea of it going out of control because of a 'dumb thumbs' error, and potentially hitting property or people is unthinkable.

As everyone else has already stated, the choice is ultimately yours of course, but starting on a MUCH cheaper (even if it's nitro) helicopter will be better for you in the longrun than crashing a $3000 helicopter (and I have no reason to doubt it'll probably be worth even more than that when it's all said and done).

The only way i'd say get the joker, is if you've spent alot of time on a sim before hand, and mastered all the basics, including nose in, forward flight, figure 8's, etc. Even then, it's a gamble, but atleast you're more prepared .