Since you will be joining a club, it is presummed that you will have an instructor. If that is the case, then you do not need the overpriced NexStar. The "gadgets" are just "window dressing" for new commers to the hobby. The AFS, to the majority of people who have tried it, creates more bad habits than it is worth. The sim, while nice, is not needed since you can D/L FMS for free and either make or buy (about $15.00 ) an interface cord from the transmitter to the computer.

MOST people learn on a 40 size trainer. Going that route, I suggest the following:

1. An ARF trainer. Most trainers fly pretty much the same. Hobbico Superstar and Avistar, are about $100. The LT-40 (among others) is a little more. Remember, a trainer is to learn on. Expect it to get beat up and damaged.

2. Most trainers (in an RTF configuration ) come with a low power/marginal power bushed bearing engine that is rarely useable in a second plane. I suggest a USER FRIENDLY ball bearing 46 engine. Three I can recommend (depending on your budget ) are: OS 46 AX, Thunder Tiger Pro 46 and Evolution 46. By user friendly, I mean that 99%+ are going to run great right out of the box, have a minimal breaking in required and not need a lot of or constant "fiddeling" to run at their best.

3. While some people will suggest a 4 channel radio (all the RTF I am aware of come with a BASE level 4 channel radio), I suggest a 6 channel (or more, depending on budget ) COMPUTER radio. You will not be using many of the functions initially, but by your 3rd or 4th plane you will be wanting them (flaps, retracts, multiple models in memory, etc. ). The Futaba 6EXA is a good example of the type of radio I am referring to.

I suggest 2 other things with the radio.

BEFORE BUYING THE RADIO find out what brand is used by the majority of people at your field and get that brand. Manuals are nice, but a live person with experience is much better WHEN (not IF ) a question/problem arises.

The other thing is to find out which are the LEAST USED CHANNELS, and get the radio on one of those channels. It will minimize your waiting time for the channel to clear so you can fly and minimize/eliminate the chance of you being "shot down".

With some careful shopping, you can do this for the same (or often times less ) than the cost of an RTF.