I started with a parkzone foamy trainer first (no sim) landed it the first time. Crashed it a couple of times however it is easy and cheap to fix. It also has no alerons so it is easy and cheap to learn with. I now have a Phoenix sim and if you tune the size, weight, expo, ect of your plane it is real close to me as far as flying at the field. Some things are harder on the sim like learning to hover than doing it for real. Just my opinion. I then purchase a Hobbico Electrostar very close to the plane you are talking about. The hardest thing for me with that plane is takeoff do to power to weight. I still have the plane in like new condition with extra batts, charger, transmitter, everything I am willing to sell CHEAP as it just collects dust now. Landing is usally the hardest thing to do, when you get into the larger planes (50cc) they are so powerfull they just jump into the air my 8 year old kid can take it off and fly it, not LAND it. The wind has almost no effect (10-15mph) and I live in the mtns. The balsa planes are harder to repair when you first start than the foamies again just the way it went for me.