I never encourage a new person that is interested in pattern to buy a 2M plane to start with in sportsman. In fact, I competed in sportsman for the first season with a .60 size Stick and won or placed in every contest I flew in District 6. Any body that comes to me and wants to fly pattern will always get a recommendation of any .60 size plane that comes as an ARF or kit. One friend of my is planning to build a Sig Kougar which will make a fine Sportsman pattern plane. One of our local competitors flew the Super Kaos quite successfully in his first season. So well he decided to move up to Intermediate towards the end of the season with the same plane. You do not need to spend thousands of dollars to get started. My servos are only $40 to $60 each and I have used some of them for three years (going on four now) without problems. I have used the Tacon 160 motor in my Vanquish and an Episode and they only cost $65. You can get around the costs and like Gary mention above, used planes abound towards the end of the season. One of my Episode air frames only cost me $500 in the middle of last season and it got a Tacon and Castle Creations ESC. The batteries I use are only $40 each ($80 a flight pack) and last pretty much the whole season depending on how practice I get in between contests (I try to fly every day that the weather will let me). Forget the gyros and concentrate on flying techniques and practice, practice, practice. Everybody in District 6 is more than willing to answer questions, give advice, and suggest techniques to help newbies. I still get advice from the guys and I an starting my fifth year in competition. Work on getting coach that can fly with you and talk you through the mistakes and errors. You will see that you really do not need gyros.
Sheldon