Recipe for success getting started:

1. Buy any trainer-style plane that supports a buddy cord on the transmitter.
2. Show up several Wednesday nights in a row from April through October for free training at the Jordan Modelport.

Now, if you're determined to "go it alone", the key I think is to buy a plane that has local parts support. If you want to save money, the HobbyZone Super Cub is tough, cheap, easy to fix, and has great local parts support. It also flies really well in any wind up to about 7-10MPH. The unfortunate thing is, there is no sort of buddy-cord arrangement for that plane, and the transmitter is dedicated... you can't use it with standard receivers.

I have support equipment for both nitro and electric. The counsel I would offer to a newbie is that if you don't have ample extra money floating around, choose one or the other! Electric starts out cheaper, but can be much more expensive as you get up to .40-sized aircraft and larger (mostly battery cost). Nitro is much less expensive and has much longer runtimes for the same weight at .40-size and above, but you have the support equipment, the mess, the smell, and the noise to deal with.

I really like to fly both. I fly my electrics in parks, and burned a few gallons of fuel at the club field last season. Nitro is slightly more work due to cleanup/startup, but you have a lot of great support from other club members who are used to working with it and tuning engines.

As far as the simulator, either way you go, USE IT. The difference between new guys who have flown a sim and those who haven't is startling. Once you have flown a while, there isn't such a big difference for average sport flying, but getting started, that $200 absolutely saves you the cost of crashes. Wish I'd known that when I bought my first plane.

My progression:
* ParkZone J-3 Cub electric. Ugh. Poor flyer, too heavy, crappy airfoil, un-upgradeable radio. Flew hundreds of hours on it -- and spent four times the cost in repairs -- before I realized that it sucked :)
* ParkZone Stryker B. Loved it, but hated that ParkZone transmitter once again. I have 3 of these in my garage :)
* ParkZone Stryker C. Was, and is, my favorite plane ever. Bought the PnP version, which is ready to fly sans receiver and battery.
* ParkZone Typhoon. Bit of a POS, but fun to fly. PnP version again.
* Great Planes Patriot. ZOOM! Too fast for me at the time, but I like to fly it. Very jet-like, very heavy. My first real exposure to nitro.
* Modeltech Magic Fun-Fly. Great plane. Want to buy another one one day. RIP, broke an elevator clevis over the runway and did a figure-nine into the asphalt.

These days, I'm really into helicopters and sailplanes and of the above, I'm only flying the Stryker C and Typhoon. I never had a "real" trainer... and I paid the price for it in repairs!

Good luck in your choice, there are pros and cons either way, bud!

Thank you for your help.

I think that I am still going nitro, as I believe I have said, I found a Nexstar locally for 250.

It worked out that I will be getting Wednesdays off now, So I will be at the field then for the help with flight lessons.

I do have some extra cast, I I think I will get this plane as well for the times that I can not make it to a field to fly the nitro, as well as being able to fly solo and not have to worry about a too expensive plane to wreak:

http://www.hobbytron.com/Cessna-182-Scale-RTF-4-CH-Airplane.html

Well, I look forward to meeting some of you this up coming Wednesday at the field!

Recommendation: HobbyZone Super Cub rather than that Cessna. I have no idea how it flies, but for the exact same money the Super Cub has local hobby shop support. When you crash that Cessna, you won't have any local parts which can get annoying pretty fast.

The only thing that I do not like with the super cub is that it does not offer aileron control. I want a plane that has that as I will get planes that have it and want to learn how to fly a plane with it.

Can you add aileron control to the plane somehow?

You might consider building your own airplane made from corrugated plastic (coroplast). It is available locally at Regional Supply (www.regionalsupply.net) or following elections, etc. Here is is a website with plenty of plans and instructions: www.spadtothebone.com
SPADs are very durable and cheap, plus when they are damaged, the repairs are extremely easy and quick.

The comments about the hobbytron cesna and parts are absolutely correct! I would not advise you to get this plane! I have flown the hobbytron cessna and it is a hunk of junk. The HobbyZone super cub is a much better choice. Dont worry about the ailerons for now. What you need to learn first is how to control the plane in level flight away from you and most importantly back to you without getting confused about left and right control stick movement. The cub has the rudder setup on the stick the same as ailerons will be so the transistion to ailerons, although different, will not be a completely new learning experience. Unlike the hobbytron cessna, Some Dudes and other local hobby shops can get all the parts for you and probably have most of them in stock already.

I guess you could add ailerons to the cub if you want. But, I have heard stories about people doing it to this plane and they were unsatisfied with the results because they had to change the radio and speed controller (expensive) and add another servo and linkages (more weight = less performance). I would leave it alone and fly it the way it is until you are good and ready for better plane with ailerons.

Don't bother yourself so much with a plane that is really good looking or very scale looking until you have learned how to fly. Then... go for the good looking and scale type planes because you wont be crashing them as much.

Oh.. the great planes G3 or G4 simulator? do yourself a favor if you can afford it and get this! it is a great learning tool.