Everyone that has gone through the beginner process has, as their favorite plane, the trainer they learned to fly on. ARF people think that a pre-built is the way to go, non-ARF people think building is the only way to learn. That's what is so great about this hobby .. so many options, so many choices.

Way back when, my first trainer was a Telemaster 40. While I didn't for a second believe that garbage from Hobby Lobby that the plane was the one that could literally fly itself and you would never need an instructor if you built this plane, I did recognize that it would teach me a lot about building - which it did. A very building intensive trainer plane, indeed.

My son learned on a Sig Kadet LT-40, and we also have a Avistar ARF - nice flying plane, but the airfoil is not flat, so it's not recommended as a 1st time plane.

One very overlooked plane that might fit your bill is the Balsa USA Stick 40 Plus. It's a version of the old Swizzle Stick. Very simple construction, very rugged, easy to fly. You'll learn basic balsa-building craft, which will stay with you thru your R/C career, plus it's so easy to put together that you'll almost think it was an ARF.

Basically, though, whatever you end up with will work .. they all fly pretty much the same. Just make sure you have someone with R/C experience to look it over before you fly and have an instructor (and an AMA membership).