$250 or so. I'd hold off on the radio purchase for a while. As with any kind of electronics, you get more for your money later rather than sooner. You won't need the radio right away.

Another advantage of waiting is that you'll be able to find a club to join. This might not seem to have anything to do with your radio choice, but it probably should. Different radio brands aren't usually compatible for buddy box use, which is the easiest way for your instructor to teach you. If you buy a brand compatible with your instructor's, he'll probably be more able to help you with the radio setup as well.

That bit of advice aside, the best 6 channel radio out there right now is the Airtronics RD6000. It's head and shoulders above the JR 662 and Futuba 6XAS in features and ease of use.

You'll need a radio to fly, You might as well get a good one to start with, rather than pay a good hundred bucks for a super cheapo radio. The 662 runs $200, or $225 on the high side. Used you can find one for ~$160. Buddy boxes are almost a no-issue, They shouldnt influence your choice of radio brand. I just buy a buddy box for myself anyway, they only cost around 25 bucks new. I cant say much about Airtronics, I've never used one, but have looked at them, They make a nice radio, a few things I dont like, such as a digital throttle trim... No one where I am flies Airtronics. I do know they make some MEAN high end servos!

You do need to find a club to join, it makes the hobby a world easier to get into, as well as more fun!

check the club that you will be learning at,see what they are flying,if you buy a brand that no one at the field is familiar with,you could have a little problem.
Have a goodun,John.

A JR 662 is an exellent choice I just got mine.
This radio, new, is $249 has all the programing youll need for awhile, you can fly 6 different planes, or helis, or mix um up.
It comes with 4- 537 ball bearing servos w/42oz torque, a 4n 600 battery pack, and an NER-700 receiver, aileron extention, switch and charger.
I wish I had bought this for my first model. If you just have to save $s, you can fly this plane with a JR 400 tx this will come with pretty much the same equiptment, (a little less battery and servo strength wise) this is a five channel non programable tx, the 5th channel is full travel can only be used for bomb drop, flap, ect.
and is around $140.
I have used OS 46 FX engines and I can tell you this is a great trouble free engine.
Here, in TN., it seldom gets below 20deg. for more than a few days at a time and we fly almost non stop through the winter.
I wish we did get more snow, Id like to try out some skis!

GO FOR IT!!!!!!!!

LA is just a brand by OS Engines, ive never used an OS LA engine, but alot of people dont like them because of their quality, I never neven seen an LA but someone in another post said that their back plate of the crank case is plastic, which can be broken in a crash. I think ABC stands for Aluminum, Brass, Chrome - aluminum piston and a brass cylinder that is chome plated

(someone correct me if im wrong)

I would suggest a Thunder Tiger GP-42, they dont cost as much arond $50 from Tower Hobbies), and it pulls my 4.5lb trainer around nicely.

While looking at radios, you might want to check out the Hitec line. I have been using these for several years and have been well satisfied.

In particular, the Flash 5X is a nice computer radio at an entry level price. Has five channels and will store 5 different planes in memory. Has lots of electronic goodies - exponential, dual rates, mixing, etc. Right now these go for about $170 through Tower.

Agree with the comments regarding Thunder Tiger - I have a Pro .46 that seems to get stronger each time I run it. This is one engine that I never have any hesitation to recommend to anyone.

Do check out what is being used at your local club. You may even find some real bargains there - an alternative to an ARF could be a used trainer with engine - here you do have to be a bit cautious, but if you know someone who is a flyer they could help you check out used planes.

The upside is that I can't think of a much quicker way to get going.

The downside is that you don't get any insight into the building of a model.

As always, there are about as many ways to go in this hobby as there are people in it.

Take care and I hope that this $0.02 worth is helpful.

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http://www.geistware.com/rcmodeling/novice.htm
http://www.geistware.com/rcmodeling/second_plane.htm

I'd definitely say to go the sig trainer kits for beginners . they are that well cut and documented that someone with no model experience can put one together with virtually no assistance. I have experienced other kits and the die cutting is of a poor standard and the instructions leave important steps out as they assume previous modelling experience. I would also say the kyosho arf trainers are a good bet too, but they arent making them at the moment are they?