Matt, the good news is, you're not the only one who wanted to start at an unrealistic level. Most newbies want to start with something "cool" and skip the trainer stage.

But there's more good news...

Everyone is different. Some people pick this up quickly while others may fly for years and never master it. You sound like you will pick it up quickly, HOWEVER there is still a LOT to learn.

There is a relatively new trainer on the market called the Mustang PTS which you would probably be a good candidate for. It is a P-51 Mustang that has some added features to keep it somewhat docile for the beginner. Once you have mastered the basics, you can remove some of these features and have a more advanced plane.

Have a look at the PTS. Check out all of it's features. And think about getting that pusher somewhere down the road.

Link:

[link=http://www.horizonhobby.com/Products/Default.aspx?ProdID=HAN2845]Mustang PTS[/link]