RE: No Instructor Necessary
Hi Henry,
I responded to your tread on a different site, but I'll write here as well.
Neither an instructor nor a simulator are necessary to learn how to fly. However, both an instructor and a simulator make the learning process easier.
The best plane with which to learn on your own is the HobbyZone SuperCub. Period.
The second best is the multiplex EasyStar.
After that its a mixed bag. Some good planes are the Aerobird3, T-hawk, SloStick, Slow-V.