I wonder how much of there being a balsa shortage is true? Just like clothes are suppose to go up due to a cotton shortage. And coffee went up several years ago due to a coffee shortage as many other shortages but then you never hear of them again but have to keep paying the higher prices that never come down after there seems to be plenty, Scams if you ask me! Not saying the the kit makers are doing the scamming but whom they are getting the balsa from and of course we are the ones that pay for it in the long run!