I just started flying last year. At the recommendation of a hobby store employee, I bought the Aerobird Challenger by Hobbyzone as my first plane. I spent the next couple of months pounding it into the ground over and over. A friend mentioned a local flying field, and I happened to go up there to check things out. They invited me to try out the club trainer with the help of a flight instructor, and I was hooked. After struggling with the Aerobird, it was a thrill to actually have a plane turn for me when I moved the sticks!

At the club's recommendation, I put the Aerobird away and bought a Nexstar RTF w/ included flight sim. After I learned to fly the Nexstar, I found out I had developed the skills to fly the Aerobird as well. I needed a heavier, more powerful aircraft to train on in order to fly regularly. We just don't have enough calm days here to learn to fly on light-weight electric aircraft.

I'd consider planes like the Aerobird Challenger or the Parkzone J3 Cub to be a fun convenience plane for experienced R/C pilots, not a starter plane.