Carevin, welcome to the wonderful world of flying rc airplanes!
1st, I would like to say I'm a self taught rc guy, never seen, never spoken to a rc instructor. I started with rc car's when I was 13 or so, was sweeping the local track in no time, even beating the 40 and 50 year olds by far. Iexperienced the rc simulator 18 years after Itaught myself. The simulator is much more of a tool than I think people give it credit for. It's EASY to make a joke of it and much HARDER to take it seriously. Choose any view other than auto zoom. Mind set is everything if you want to get the most of it. With the simulator Nextstar at idle, act as if you just spent $500 on it and that you have to bring that plane back in 1 piece, it makes all the difference; to make a long story short.
Back to reality, I learned on a.10, 3 channel highwing. I was nervous at 1st but, I knew the cg was set correctly because I checked it 4 times and that alone relieved a lot of stress. After full throttle and a lil elevator trim, it was hands off. I came in for a high landing approach, lower and lower each pass and eventually the plane was back on the ground with no scratches
. Before I knew it, I just made a self taught solo and didn't realize ittill a few seconds later, IWAS STOAKED. My point is, teaching yourself to fly rc compared to an instructor is MUCH MORE rewarding and it is possible. Many have taught themselves to fly rc and have spenthundreads, even thousands,I have spent zero except on fuel. PASSION, TALENT...
More importantely, talent play's a huge part in learning rc, somehting you hear little about. From a young age, I knew I had abnormal talent and couldn't wait to put it to work. I've taught student's in 1 day and others took several weeks/ months. It's easy to tell somebody to do something, but it goes so much farther than that. If you feel you have lil talent, I say find an instructor, if you have solid talent and you know it, I say go for it. I've probably made more maiden's per the experience than anybody you will ever meet.
Speaking of talent, the biggest rc plane I ever flew weighed about 25 lbs. On landing I chipped the prop, nothing more; never broke a prop in over 20 years. How many old timers can say that? My brother is having a custom Air Tractor ( Crop Duster ) built this winter. From what I hear it will be the 1st and only turbine powered duster in the world to date and will have roughly 138 in. wingspan and weigh some 50 lb's, about 8K worth of goodies. The plane is barely on the building board and I'm already bored of it, just to give you an example ofwhat talent can do and how importantit is. The Air Tractor isatleast6 monthsaway and I've already landed it 200 times, MIND OVER MATTER.
Wether you have it or not, abnormal talent is one hell of a thing to beat.
OLD SCHOOL.....