Rick,

What are you looking at in the hobby? If you’re looking at a .40 sized trainer, they you’ll need to look at a kit or ARF. You can find out good information in the ARF/RTF, Beginners and Kit Build forums.

Check out the thread here in the 1/2A forum for the LST. It’s a plans built craft that is very well designed and easy to build, plus you’ll get tons of support on its build from the guys here. You can download the plans for it for free. Take your time and read through the complete thread. I know there is a lot of information there, but it’s well worth your time and you’ll learn a lot not only about the design, but scratch building an aircraft is not any more difficult than building a kit. Plus you have a lot more pride in a craft you built over an ARF.

http://www.rcuniverse.com/forum/m_2301186/tm.htm

Good luck on your start in radio control aircraft. It’s the best hobby I think one can find.

Scott