ORIGINAL: RCKen
IMHO the Nexstar RTF package is WAY overpriced. It comes with a lot of gadgets that most instructors have the student remove before training. Because of this I usually recommend that people stay away from the RTF. When it comes down to it the Nexstar flies pretty much the same as any other of the major trainers, so it really boils down to pricing to differentiate between them. Because of this I recommend that students take a good hard look at the Tower Trainer RTF if they are looking at a Ready To Fly package. The entire package runs $249 and you can usually apply a Tower discount to that to lower the price even more. I've trained lots of students on the Nexstar, the Tower, and many other trainers and the Tower is quite a capable bird. In fact, I learned on one 12 years ago, and I still have it today as a matter of fact.
Ken
I agree, the Tower Trainer is great. I got one after crashing my Nexstar. The RTF package is nice. You could also do the ARF with a .46-LA (plenty of engine for the plane) and a Futaba radio for $257.97. Plus Tower always has $25-$30 coupons.