If you want to learn how to fly a remote controlled plane without the expense of crashing it, then you are probably better off buying or downloading RC flight simulators.
These allow you the vital freedom to make mistakes, while at the same time learn the importance of basic controls.
Ideally, you should be able to get a demo of any flight simulator, whether online or in a game magazine.
This gives you the chance to get a feel for the simulator and see whether or not it is comfortable or feels suitably realistic.
There are a number of review sites available that can give you pointers as to what suits your own individual needs.
If you want to learn how to fly or control a remote control plane, then the best simulators are the ones that recreate the experience as accurately as possible, both in terms of control and likely real world scenarios.
While it can be expensive to repair an RC plane in real life with a simulator you can keep coming back and improving your skills.
Some can help you adjust real world physics, so you can tailor the remote controlled plane to one that you have recently purchased to get an idea of how it would fly in real life.
Some also have downloadable landscapes, giving you an idea of what it would be like to fly a plane in certain environments.
Flight simulators will often work well with a conventional game pad or keyboard.
If you are purchasing for the PC it is probably best to get a pad with stick control similar to modern games consoles, as this is the most similar control to how you would pilot a remote controlled plane or helicopter.
Look online for demonstration videos and reviews of RC flight simulators.