Hey if theres no current club start one . Maybe we'll see you at a SAE or AIAA meeting. This year we're doing the AIAA event. Its pretty cool. we have to design a plane that will fit in a 4'x2'x2' box, and everything included to fly it has to go in there. It has to be assembled within 5 min of opening the box. It must be electric powered and we are limited to 4 lbs of Nicad or NIMH no lithium. it has to be designed with internal mounts for softballs (up to 10) and external mounts for softball/ baseball bats. First flight is just 3 laps. second flight is 3 laps with a random number (6-10) of softballs. and thrid flight the team gets to choose how many bats they want to carry (1-5). Pretty interesting payload competition

The only thing I can tell you to help you prepare is to get ready for alot of butterflies.  LOL.  I think alot of us get them almost every flight.  My knees actually knocked the first few times.  And I have worked on the heavy iron (commercial carriers) for 30 years.  That didnt prepare me at all for the nerves of the first flights.  Its a blast Bradley.  You will love it. 

If he flies Sim all Winter he will advance at 3x regular rate comes next flying season.
Get the G3.5 or whatever is out there now. It will pay for itself a few times.