This article is from the Radio Control (R/C) Flying FAQ, by Shamim Mohamed shamim@math.isu.edu with numerous contributions by others.
Ask at your local hobby shop---there may be a club in your neighbourhood.
This is the best way to meet other pilots and find an instructor. Most
pilots will more than glad to help you out. If you can find a club, for
an instructor, choose someone who is smooth in flying his/her plane and
that you get along with. Remember, the ones best at flying (hangar or
otherwise) may not always be the best instructors.
For U. S. residents, an organisation well worth joining is the Academy of
Model Aeronautics (AMA). They are the modellers' main voice where it
matters---they liaison with the FCC, the FAA and Congress. It is an
affiliate of the National Aeronautic Association (NAA) and is the US
aeromodeling representative of the Federation Aeronautique Internationale
(FAI). Membership in the AMA also gets you $1,000,000 of liability
insurance, without which most fields will not allow you to fly. You also
need to be an AMA member to participate in contests. Besides, you also get
a magazine, `Model Aviation' which is rather good in itself, and it keeps
you informed about the state of the hobby. So JOIN AMA!!! You can write
to: Academy of Model Aeronautics, 5151 E. Memorial Drive, Muncie, IN
47302-9252. Membership is $40 per year (and well worth it). Their phone number
is 317 287 1256.
 
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