After following these types of threads for going on two years, and having "a few" years of flying experience, here's my take on this question. The actual trainer you choose doesn't matter, as long as you stick with one of the well known brands such as Tower, Hangar 9, Sig, Hobbico, etc. They all fly well and it's debatable whether the differences are more than just cosmetic. Avoid the generic planes being sold on eBay and by some online vendors that are regularly talked about here as providing really low prices, but terrible service. If you want to get a feel for what people say about each one, take a little time and search through this forum, there's lots of feedback on each one. I personally feel that the Tower Trainer is a great value.

Now, let's move on to the question of RTF versus ARF. Personally the only people I suggest consider RTF planes are the ones who are absolutely unwilling or unable to do a bit of research or make a decision on their own. Why do I feel this way? It's simply because going with an ARF allows the person to choose better equipment often at the same, or even lower prices than an RTF package. Some exampes include spending a bit extra to get a good sport .45 instead of a cheap .40 or .45 engine, and possibly buying a basic 6 channel computer radio instead of a 4 channel. Assembling an ARF trainer also gives the beginner valuable training in basic airplane, radio, and engine installation and setup that is missed when going with an RTF. Since they are designed for beginners, the ARF instruction books for the most part provide excellent information.

Many hobby shops will cut a deal when someone is buying a complete package. If buying online from some place like Tower, splitting the order in multiple pieces can maximize the discount. For example, the current deal at Tower is $30 off a $199 order. For a complete beginner, $400 or more is a reasonable estimate on the initial cost of plane, engine, radio, and assembly tools, glue, and basic field equipment. Yes, it can be done cheaper, let's just stick with $400 for discussion sake. If you order an all-in-one RTF package, you get one $30 discount, so you end up spending $370. If you order the individual pieces it's usually possible to split the order in two $200 chunks. This means you get to apply the $30 discount twice and the final cost is only $340. When you use this approach and run the numbers, assembling your own package often ends up about the same price as the all-in-one packages, and you end up with better equipment.