Again, I don't wish to argue with what you saw because everybody's notion of what is good construction is different. You're certainly entitled to your opinion. You've built a handful and have seen some fail in flight and made up your mind that ARF quality is poor in general. More power to you. Don't buy ARFs. The only thing I'm saying is that the vast majority of RCers, me included, vote with our pocketbooks and we disagree with your assessment.

Out of the more than 40 ARFs that have passed through my hand the past two years or so (of which I built about a dozen, and sold about 20 plus, with the rest still NIB) I have not come across one that I have serious structual concerns. They range from $99 WM Super Stunt 40 on up to $700 Lanier 30% Edge 540.