There are lots of good trainer planes out there. Just look for a high wing, flat bottomed airfoil and trike landing gear, and you will do just fine. when it comes to a first time plane, Bigger is better. It will fly slower and be easier to see. Kit building is fun and rewarding, but i recomend that you wait until you master flying before you invest many hours in a plane. ARF's (semi prebuilt planes) are highly recomended, they are fast to build reasonably good quality and usually end up costing the same as one you build yourself (covering material and all the odds and ends you don't get in a kit can be expensive)

While you are a beginner, the plane will probably get knocked around a bit and won't last long, but the radios and maybe the engine will last years. Buy accordingly, If you can, try to get one of the better radios. Computer radios like JR 421 or 652 and some of the better Futaba have lots of very nice features which can make the plane a whole lot easier and fun to fly. The main feature to look for is the ability to link with a buddy box. If the plane you are interested in says it is rated for a 40 - 46 engine, get the 46. The extra power makes tuning and take offs easyer and you can always throtle back once you are in the air.

It is HIGHLY recomended to find a club! Without someone to take off and land for you the first few times, the odds of still having a flyable plane after the first day are pretty slim. Some clubs will let you fly a few times without actually becoming a member. Some clubs even have designated teachers. Some teachers bring donated trainer planes for folks to learn on. ( i am a keeper of a club trainer myself) All clubs will require AMA membership (for insurance reasons) it is about 40$ per year and it comes with a nice monthly magazine with reviews on available planes.

Another recomendation is for an RC flight simulator, a little time on a computer can get those clumsy thumbs doing precision control in no time. They cost 100 - 200$ but mine probably saved several planes. Even after a year or so i still use mine nearly every day. (its a fun toy).

well, best of luck to you.

Shmo