Hi all

Two questions, but first a short intro

I'm just on the verge of getting into RC airplanes. I've always been into planes (dad flew a 172 for awhile, and some of his buds had the usual Champs, 152's, etc.). I flew a buddy box at a local club's open house a few years back, and it was really what got me hooked.

I've read a lot of stuff here about picking equipment. I was given a plane/radio/engine as a gift, here's what I've got so far:

-Great Planes PT-40 Trainer, unassembled, not ARF (with needed construction tools)
-O.S. 40 engine
-Futuba 4-channel radio w/servos (it's unused, but is a few years old)

I've just barely begun construction (I built a Guillow's rubber band powered plane to get the hang of working with balsa). It looks like I've got a good trainer set up.

Anyhow, my questions:

1. Clubs

I am fortunate enough to have 2-3 clubs within a reasonable driving distance. What kinds of things should I look for in a "good" club? Here in Michigan things are still a bit cold and snowy to go flying today. Besides the basics like "do I like these people as friends?" "can I trust these people?" and "is the field clear of obstructions?".... what kind of things should I look for in a club?

2. Instructors

Once I've picked a club, how do I pick an instructor? Both of the larger clubs near me have multiple instructors (so their websites say), what do I look for in an instructor? I've read a few horror-stories of instructors crashing the student's plane, and I'd like to minimize the chance of this happening by picking a good instructor

EDIT: in previous paragraph for clarity (my apologies)

Thanks for your help! I'm looking foward to getting into the hobby