Derrick,

I fly jets (IC DF and turbines) and have no experience in EDF, but can answer your question nevertheless.

If one is new to the hobby, it is advisable to get a dedicated trainer, be it electric or glow. Obviously, if you're interested in getting into EDF, it makes more sense for you to get an electric trainer, as you can pick up equipment that will be interchangable in planes to come. It is not possible to start on an EDF jet, unless it is a very tame jet (perhaps an A-10), but even so, will not provide you with the proper grounding that a proper trainer will. Furthermore, in EDF's, when you start talking planes that can take retracts, its usually the 90mm twin fans and up, so there the price will also increase.

Also, a lot of kits require the addition of retracts and aren't standard. The understanding of structure and materials that one has when beginning is minimal, and makes fixing (yes, because you will break the retract mounts) and building these jets out of reach to a newbee.

Hence my advice (although probably not what you want to hear) is buy a trainer (decent size, dedicated) and then a low wing sport model with retracts. From there you can move onto what you want, bearing in mind of course your skill level as you see it at that point.

Regards,
Richard