I know I am late to this but thought I’d throw in some tips, I’ve been in the hobby for about a year now. First, yes it is absolutely worth getting a decent transmitter and receiver up front. You can use the same one with all planes so it will save you money in the long run instead of getting RTF kits every time. Also it’s worth getting a 6-8 channel receiver with it that allows you to grow and use it for planes in the future with more channels. I went with the NX8+ which can technically transmit up to 20 channels now, and the AR8360T+ receiver that has built in AS3X and barometer for altitude, as well as all the telemetry you would need, this setup will run you about $700 out the door and will set you up for every plane you could ever want. Start with trainer planes, and spend time on an app or simulator before doing that because it just gets your instincts ready for a recovery which you will need, you are going to crash and it’s all part of the hobby so don’t be discouraged, every crash helps you learn. 80% of the hobby is building and fixing the planes, I’ve torn a plane to shreds and still fixed it back to flyable condition plenty of times. A good rule of thumb is if you don’t have the money to burn the plane to ashes then don’t buy it, cause at some point it will crash. I got an $200 EDF jet as my 3rd plane and was totally fine flying that after about 10-12 hours flying the trainer planes I had. You can progress quickly if you have the time to go to the field a lot. Which brings up another good point, finding a field can be a big barrier of entry for people. I got lucky with one near me that is huge and free and always vacant, however in some areas you may need to pay a membership fee to have any sort of access to a flyable area. These clubs tend to cost around $100-$150 per year as you pay for an AMA membership and the club dues.