I don't think that's a valid evaluation at all. For me and for many others, it's about expectations. If a guy wants to stick with foamy park flyers, they are fine to start with too. But if a guy plans to move to higher performing planes, which does mean balsa construction and either high end electric or glow/gas power, he's going to be behind the curve if all he's flown previously is a 3 channel Super Cub and a UM T-28. I have both, and the balsa planes are my serious flyers, while the foamies are just toys. They look like toys, the fly like toys, and they get treated like toys.