One of my favorite electrics is the Super Sportster EP. It sells for about $109.00 and includes a brushed motor, brushed esc and battery. It has an approximately 46"-48" wingspan.

You can start out with the provided electronics... adding servos and receiver, or change out the NiCD battery for a LiPo ( the provided ESC works with LiPo's too ).

This improves the performance of the plane.

If you change the motor out for a brushless motor and ESC combination you end up with a great aerobatic plane with wonderful landing characteristics.

You can do all of this as you progress or wear out the brushed motor.

Inevitably it is one of the planes that always makes a trip to the field with me...

I'm getting about 20-30 minutes flight time out of mine now, with a brushless setup on a single battery.

This is NOT a "RTF" but the plane is very easy to put together and you end up with something better than you would get with most "RTF" type planes.