RE: How to handle the guys with flawed plans?
ORIGINAL: lopflyers
What?? I didn't know they are planes that comes in a teach yourself to fly, box. Preposterous. To do a couple of laps and land successfully doesn't mean you know our hobby.
NO! But its a start!
If you take a look in the hobby shops there are RTF airplanes that are being sold mostly low end that approach people to get into the hobby. The box often says something to the effect "Learn to fly R/C". Most of these are park fliers sold at inexpensive price points making them very affordable entry points or gifts. Just look at the number of coax helis that are out there really cheap to purchase. I only wish that things would have been as inexpensive as they have become when I started modeling.
I purchased a little airplane for my grandson at Harbor Freight one day for about $30 when he was about five. A very simple airplane "The Yellow Bee" setup with two pusher props controlled by differential power for steering nothing else, one stick for a throttle, the other controls the differential of thrust between the motors basically an inefficient plastic powered glider. It flies OK, pretty bulletproof, but not the best for sure. But, you know what he has had fun! He is now seven I'm buddy boxing him on one of my gliders. He is also flying the simulator, and will soon be on the cord with a trainer. So its not all bad because there is a real need for more people (especially the younger group) to become interested in our hobby for it to remain healthy and survive.