Get a high wing trainer-type plane to start with. Most of the electric planes with brushed motors and NiMH battery packs don't fly very well (power to weight ratio suffers greatly), you're better off going with a brushless motor & LiPo battery power setup. With that said, the brushed/NiMH powered park flyers from Hobbyzone seem to fly better than most other brushed powered planes I've tried. The Hobbyzone Super Cub (480 motor/gearbox), Aerobird 3 (380 motor), and Firebird Phantom (180 motor), all seem to fly pretty well.

http://www.horizonhobby.com/Products...ProdID=HBZ7100
http://www.horizonhobby.com/Products...ProdID=HBZ3600
http://www.horizonhobby.com/Products...ProdID=HBZ4700