I took up the whistle a year ago last Christmas. I now play reasonably well…well enough not to embarass myself in a “slow” session.
I finally (after much trauma) ordered by practice set.
I expect to spend about an hour a day on the pipes, including weekends. My hope is to be able to play a slow air or dirge within 6 months. If I could do that, it would be WAY cool. If I never play jigs ‘n’ reels on the pipes, that’s OK. To my ear it’s the slow pieces that sound great on pipes.
I like my Daye set. I haven’t had many of the problems others have mentioned, but I’m used to tinkering and fixing things myself without thinking to complain. As to the slow aires; that’s a good start, but I can almost assure you the speed bug will eventually get you. When I started GHP, I told my teacher I just wanted to play slow tunes. That was 15 years ago and many more reels, jigs and hornpipes than slow aires under my belt. Playing strathspeys still sucks! 
But you knuckle down and learn well what the people ask for. You’ll do fine.