Football, I assume when you say you're interseted in gas airplanes you mean glow fuel, (gasser & cheap) don't really happen at the same time. You can get a Tower Trainer RTF, & a field box combo, with all the field equip. you'll need to get started with & a gallon of fuel for around $400. There are many other options available, but since I didn't see you mention wanting to build yet & that you wanted to start out as cheaply as you can, this is about the least expensive I know of from the RTF Trainers. If you really wanna save $$$ you don't have to get the field box right away, you get just get a glow ignitor & a chicken stick for hand starting your engine, & some type of fueling system. The field box combos come with power panel, battery, nose-cone starter, fuel pump, glow ignitor, pretty much everything you need to get started for about $119
The Tower Trainer RTF is about $259 (last time I looked) and is a perfectly good Trainer with a ball bearing supported .46 engine on it that delivers more than enough power. Tower usually has some kind of discounts going on that might save you a couple bucks too. Buy the gallon of fuel from your LHS though, shipping regs. on that stuff make it cheaper to buy it local I think.

I would wait to buy anything though until you hook up with your local club & see what they say.
At the very least you'll need to find out what kind of radio your instructor will be using so that you can buy the right buddy cord to go from his radio to yours another $9.99 - $11.99 depending on which one you need. Pay attention to the size & shape of the plug port on the back of his radio. The older radios have a round port & the newer radios have a small square one. Tower has all three cords available. Round to round, square to square, & round to square.
Then again as stated above many clubs have a club Trainer that they will teach you on, & if that's the case they will probably have the buddy cord to go with it. I would suggest showing up with your own fuel to burn, if training on their airplane. A little common curtesy goes a long way in this hobby. You will need to join the AMA as MinnFlyer allready told you.
Good luck in your flying, Welcome to RCU, & I hope some of this info will help you.[sm=sunsmiley.gif]


Mark