Manufacturers respond to the squeaky wheel (and largest profit margin) so todays RC marketplace gravitates to the 3D flyer. Their demand is for lighter everything without regard for personal ability or inability to operate the airframe or equipment properly.

While every club or site has several good 3D pilots who rarely break anything there are ten to one who bang the sticks to get the biggest oohs! They spend a lot of money on broken airplanes, engines, radio, etc.

Our club has them too. One local flys excellent, smooth 3D and has yet to break anything, a half dozen others plant $3-$4K with regularity either due to overstressed airframes or "wow" it right into the ground.

Basically they get what the want...lightweight fragile airplanes that won't take much abuse.

The manufacturers/distributors are correct in their no free replacement position unless you can prove the airframe has not been over stressed. They all have heard the claim, "it came apart flying level at 1/4 throttle." I've seen it happen too, but you should have seen how the owner was jerking it around yesterday!!