RE: learning to fly
I just solo'd this last weekend, and I plan to stick with my trainer until I can take off, circle and land EXACTLY where I want to, and not let the plane decide where it will take off, fly and land.
After that, I plan to go to the Hanger 9 F-22 (my wife is going to the hobby shop today to place an order for the ARF version as an aniversary gift). So my next plane will still be a trainer, just a bit harder one. I did fly one this weekend though, and with all the training wheels on it, it flew quite nice for my just starting out.
After I am confident in my skills with that one, and the flaps are up, the wing tips removed, and I don't have any issue putting it on a dime, I will go to the Sig Hog I am finishing, then start all over again.
Then I also have a giant scale corsair that I have just started building (actually started before the hog, but wanted to sharpen my building before continuing). I don't know if i will fly it after the hog or get a war-bird plane to use as a step before the corsair.
Either way, I will make myself have full control of each plane before going on to the next one.