I'm brand new to r/c and have made a considerable financial investment on a helicopter.
I'm want a very low cost, minimal assembly and reliable plane to fly during heli breaks.
I'm thinking about the electric XL Firebird.
I would appreciate any suggestions.

PS. I do have a 8ch JR 8103 radio and all the field and start equip. for glow engines (Those that apply to heli)

Please think low cost
thank you

From what I hear, the best in that field is probably the HobbyZone Aerobird. It's 3-channel, retail $150 I think. If you do get that you should also get the upgrade tail feather set ($15 or so).
-Chris

The Aerobird is much better than the Firebird since you get elevator control. This helps when you ignore the instructions and try to fly in windy conditions. I have heard stories about people who launched their Firebirds and never saw them again. The Aerobird is not that much fun to fly, it needs to be pretty calm out. I fly helis and planes, you will have a lot more fun with a glow powered arf as your first plane. A good low cost starter plane is the Hobbico Avistar. This a .40 sized trainer that will allow you do aerobatics as well since it has semisymetrical wing.

Hobbico Avistar w/Monocoat = $99
Low cost OS .40 LA = $50 (works fine for the Avistar)
JR Flight Pack for your 8103 (4 servos/receiver/600mah battery)= $119

If you order from Tower Hobbies you can get a bundle discount on the plane and engine plus the usual $15 savings coupon. So after shipping you can get a real plane that is much easier to fly than the aerobird for $200.

Good Luck.

I had a GWS Tigermoth. They are fun, but made of foam and really easy to damage. I flew it in the back yard, in the hangar once, and at the field. Fun little plane. You can break it really easy. I don't think I would recommend it if you haven't flown fixed wing. They are too easy to break. The wings are made from the same stuff as an egg carton. Very cheap. I did loops and rolls with mine. The wing really bends. It didn't break, but I kept expecting it to. I sold it so I could buy something a little more aerobatic and better built. There are a lot of little electric types that look fun, and the batteries are getting better and lighter.

FLYBOY,

did you make the wing mods to the tigermoth? The weak wing is a known problem and very easy to fix with carbon fiber or flying wires made from sewing thread? As far as easily damaged my tigermoth has survived several "accidents" with no damamage that would have sent other planes back to the shop for repairs.

Light slow flying planes have a habit of surviving crashes better then heaver faster flying planes.