I'd take Mark up on his offer...a loaner flute, even if not in the best of tune, is a great way to get started.
I do agree the Dixon one piece, or even the two piece, is simply a gateway instrument. Heck, I never bought one of these basic flutes because if you have any tools and $2 for 8 feet of PVC you can make about 4 flutes using these instructions:
http://www.cwo.com/~ph_kosel/designs.html
If you use the low D instructions, you'll get a better flute than the Dixon one or two piece because the PVC is thicker and it cuts a better embouchure hole. Plus, you can undercut on the tone holes and improve your second octave a bit (cylindrical flutes tend to go flat in the second octave - you have to lip them up to pitch.
The Dixon 3 piece really is a nice, basic flute. I had one...nothing wrong with it except the lack of tuning slid which became an issue playing with a demented box player with reeds so flat I needed a tuning slide - in most other situations the tennon is long enough to tune to normal players. The three piece is your traditional conical flute, but because of that it'll cost you a lot more than the one piece or two piece models....but it is worth it.
So either make your own one piece PVC flute (you'll need the extra PVC because you'll likely screw up one or two - but you will end with a very playable flute) or borrow Mark's slightly wonky one.
After a few weeks, you'll know whether you're hooked or not. While I like low whistle, the flexibility of the flute is amazing...
Eric