You're going to get as many different opinions as people you ask regarding how much airplane you need to get started. The Kaos 60 will get you started without shelling out a bundle of cash. It has a thick airfoil and tends to fly slow, like the draggy designs currently being flown. You can fly it in Sportsman and find out if pattern is right for you before investing too much money. You can always buy into the fancy stuff later.