RE: First day at the field
Kevin,
The dual rates aren't as scary as they sound. Your best bet would be to set them up for the ailerons and elevator. Take off on high and then try some approaches on high, and some on low....don't land, just get the feel. You won't always need to switch to high rates for landings, but under some higher wind conditions, they do come in handy...it's a great thing to learn right away, especially while you still have use of an instructor. He's probably worth his weight in gold.
Ultacote is the preferred covering by most of my friends. They like it better than monocote.
Bev