I partially agree with OldArmy and jmir; there are many experienced flyers who push the novice into expensive equipment and complex planes right away. That's fine if you are going to learn with a teacher, but most new flyers, from what I've seen on the various forums, start out on their own. In that case, the best plane is one that is simple, inexpensive, durable and slow. When you first start to fly, it seems like everything is happening at lightning speed and you must think, and control, in three dimmensions, unlike cars or boats that require only two dimmensional control. The best thing that a beginner can do is spend time flying, flying, and flying; not building, re-building and fixing.

I started flying eight months ago, at the age of 50. The first plane that I bought was the ArtTech Cessna 4-channel. When the plane arrived in the mail, I realized that it was way too much plane for a beginner, so I set it aside until I was more experienced. (Have not flown it yet)

My second plane was the HobbyZone Firebird Commander. A great plane for a beginner, I flew it most mornings before going to work. During the first couple of weeks, about half of my time was spent recovering the plane from various trees. I never had any help learning how to fly this plane and I learned three very important lessons. Never try to beat the wind. If its too windy, come back the next day and try again. Altitude is your friend; the ground, and especially trees, are your enemy. Stay away from them. Always check your equipment before flying. If there are any problems with the plane or the controls, fix them before flying.

My third plane was a ParkZone J3Cub. On the maiden flight, a local experienced flyer tried to help adjust the trim, reaching over my shoulder as I was trying to fly the new plane. By the time that he got finished fiddling with the controls, the plane was nearly 1/2 mile away. I couldn't figure out if it was coming or going and it eventually crashed behind a grove of trees. We spent several hours looking for it but never found it.

My fourth plane was the 2 channel Dragon 207. (I figured that it would serve as a good back-up for the Firebird.) I won it on e-bay for $1, but didn't realize that shipping was an additional $45. A complete waste of money, the plane would not fly more than a few yards. I tried a better prop and a different battery, but to no avail.

My fifth plane was the Wind Spirit. It was advertised on e-bay as a new 3-channel version, but when I received it, I found that it was only a 2 channel model. I received a partial refund from the seller, resulting in a final cost of $40, including shipping. The plane is basically a giant version of the Firebird, with a 60" wingspan and weighing approximately 3 lbs. It takes at least 60 ft. of runway to get this bird airborne, but then it flies very nicely. I've had it well over 1,000 ft. up, flying it for 20 minutes with the power off.

My sixth plane was the Megatech Airstrike. The first two flights resulted in nose first crashes after only a few seconds of flight. Realizing that the pilot was not good enough for this plane yet, I set it aside. That was mid summer. I tried flying the plane two days ago and had three successful flights, but I get less than seven minutes of flight (I tried two different batteries), so the plane gets stored until I figure out a better battery to use with it.

My seventh plane was the Aerobird Challenger. A great plane, easy to switch to from the Firebird, relaxing to fly as a more experienced flyer. I fly this plane nearly every morning.

My eight plane was the ParkZone J3Cub (again). This time I bought a used one on e-bay. Great plane, I also fly it nearly every morning, but still in the beginners mode. Next week I'll try the advanced mode.

My ninth plane is the ParkZone Decathlon. I also bought this one used on e-bay, but have not flown it yet.

I figure that I'll stick with the Aerobird and Cub this fall and winter, and in the spring try the Decathlon and Cessna. The local guys keep telling me that I'm good enough to buy an ARF with better electronics, maybe get into 3-D, but I'm happy flying slow and easy. Usually I'm the only person flying, except on Saturday mornings when as many as 20 flyers show up. I've learned that most of them started with the Firebird Commander.

My wife and my son (24 yrs old) both expressed interest in trying to fly, but did not want to start with a "big" plane. From several threads I found out about the AirHogs Aeroace. What a terrific micro-flyer! Absolutely the best plane for a beginner to learn the basic controls and feel of 2 channel flight. Available at Toys-r-us for $30, I bought two of them and they are a blast to fly, in the daytime at the park or at night time under the street lights.