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Choosing a Beginner RC AirplaneDifferent Planes for Different People... Choosing a beginner RC airplane can be a daunting task. There are so many to choose from! And unfortunately there are many low quality RC airplanes on the market that are frankly a waste of money. So how do you know which one to choose? Which ones are worth your money and which ones are a rip off? Are you wondering whether you should buy a "gas" airplane or an electric airplane? There are two different categories of Beginner RC Airplanes. There are small electric flyers and there are standard trainers. If you are unsure which one is for you, take the time to read through trainers vs. park flyers Avoid the Cheapo's
As much as I love Wally World, you won't find a decent RC airplane in a department store such as Walmart or Target. There you will find toy grade airplanes that are pretty much a waste of your money. Trust me, I've bought them before because they looked cool and they were relatively cheap. But as they say, you get what you pay for. You can find hobby grade RC airplanes at your local hobby shop, online retailers such as Red Rocket or Hobbytron, and you can usually find beginner planes on eBay for a decent price Slow FlyersSlow flyers are very small, light weight, and can fly very slow. Since they require very little space to fly, many people call them backyard flyers. These RC planes basically consist of a "stick" with a set of wings. They are great beginner RC airplanes because they give you plenty of time to react, and they hold up to crashes relatively well due to their small weight. It has to be a pretty calm day to fly one of these, they don't like wind! ARF Slow Flyers 
The
GWS Slow Stick If you run upon one that says "NPS", that means it has No Power System. You have to supply everything including the motor with NPS versions. The
Pico Stick Slow Flyer Similar ARF Slow Flyers: RTF Slow Flyers
If you're lazy like me, you can buy a "Ready to Fly" slow flyer that has everything included and is ready to fly out of the box. The Slow-V is very similar to the ARF's mentioned above, except it comes with the transmitter, transmitter batteries, rechargeable Ni-MH battery pack and DC peak charger. This beginner RC airplane is small enough to be flown a gymnasium or warehouse. All you have to do is buy it, charge it, and go fly it! See the Slow-V in action! Similar RTF Slow Flyers: Park FlyersPark Flyers are small electric powered planes that fly much faster than slow flyers. You will need a large open area such as a park or field to fly one of these guys. Here's the AMA's official definition of park flyers. 
HobbyZone's Super Cub is probably the most popular and well know electric beginner RC airplane on the market. It's very stable and easy to fly. Its foam construction can take more of a beating than other planes, and it usually can be repaired with some glue and a roll of tape. The Super Cub is equipped with Hobby Zone's Anti-Crash Technology (ACT), which is always a plus for a beginner! After you learn to fly, you can use the onboard "X-port" for head to head combat, aerial drops, and night flying. It takes quite a while to become bored with this plane! Similar Beginner RC airplanes: V-Tail Type Park FlyersHobbyZone makes several V-tail type beginner RC Airplanes. I learned to fly RC planes with the original 3 channel Aerobird. It took me a couple sets of wings before getting the hang of flying. The Aerobird was my "gateway drug" so to speak into bigger and faster glow powered airplanes that I am addicted to for life! 
My opinion is probably biased, but I would recommend an Aerobird to any one. It is sturdy and durable, which is what a beginner needs. I would actually recommend the Aerobird Swift over the original Aerobird. It is a 4 channel park flyer which has ailerons. Ailerons allow you to roll in addition to many other aerobatic maneuvers. It will better prepare you to fly 4 channel glow powered trainers in the future. I wish the Aerobird Swift was available when I was learning to fly! Hobby Zone carries an entire line of "V-tail" type beginner RC airplanes. The all look very similar, so check the summary of features to get a better understanding of the price difference between them. The Aerobird Swift is the only one with ailerons. Trainer AirplanesTrainers are a much larger and more powerful type of beginner RC airplane, generally constructed from balsa wood. They are larger, heavier, faster, and require a much larger area than park flyers. Not so long ago, just about all trainers were powered by glow engines. The recent technological advancement of LiPo batteries and brushless motors has made it possible for electric motors to power RC trainers. Whether it's glow powered or electric powered, you need to join a club or get the help of an experienced pilot to help you get started. Not only are RC trainers larger and more dangerous, they are generally destroyed with one crash. You can't just tape them back together like you can a park flyer.  
Hobbico's Nexstar is an ARF trainer than comes with the power system and radio system installed. Available as both electric powered It comes with an RC simulator and it has on-board sensors that monitor the model's attitude and adjusts the roll and pitch to keep the plane flying level. The training flaps help the airplane fly slower and more stable, and can be removed once you get the hang of flying. It doesn't take long to outgrow the need for all those bells and whistles that come with the Nexstar. You may be better off investing in an RTF trainer with a better engine or radio instead. You can always by the build your airplane from a kit or put together and ARF so you can pick and choose whatever radio systems and engine or electrical components that you want. Heck, you may even find a sweet deal on eBay for a kit, ARF, or RTF Trainer! Other pages that may interest you...
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is a smaller version of the Slow Stick that can be flown indoors! Not small enough for the living room, but you can fly it in a warehouse or a gymnasium.
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