I would not recommend the stryker as a first plane. Unless you are a natural born flier, they are not all that easy to control. And as with any first plane, learning w/o an instructor, you WILL crash on occaision. The stryker is not quite as indestructible as they lead you to believe: These two were my 2nd and 3rd planes and almost made me quit flying[>:]. I would have much more money now had they caused me to quit, but I would be missing more than that. I agree with the slo v or something like the SuperCub. The cub is much more forgiving as a first plane and much more likely to survive your inevitable mishaps. I believe that this hobby should be about fun, relaxing, and meeting new people and the stryker as a SECOND plane caused me much aggravation. This is not the way it should be. I think the stryker should be for intermediate to advanced pilots. Have fun and be safe