First thing I would suggest is find a club near you and hang out with some of the members. Pickup some of the lingo and find out what your basic needs are. After learning the basics check out the SPAD page and build a DEB. It is easy to build and is tough as nails. Find an instructor, check with above club, and learn to fly. As stated in above post sims are great also to practice on, but first hand experiance is priceless.