ORIGINAL: Deadeye
I have to pipe in here and give a viewpoint from a RC newbie. I started a year ago last September with an LT-40 (that is still alive). Mt first kit was a GP Super Sportster. I finished it last Feb, and crashed it after only about 30 minutes in the air (rebuilt since). I was devestated. The next plane in the air was a 4* 60 ARF. Flew the crap out of it for 3 or 4 months, and ended up nosing it in at full throttle. Total destruction. I was devestated. My confidence level went into the crapper. I shook even flying my LT-40. Then one night I had an epiphany while browsing the SPAD forum right here on RCU. In 2 weeks I had built the first of my Cor-Star 60 series of coroplast planes. It only cost me $20-$30, and about 15 hours of building time. I flew the crap out of it. It built my confidence up, and was a great flyer. For me, the SPAD world kept me in a hobby I was getting very frustrated with. If it wasn't for coroplast, I would have given up.
The reason I stayed in RC:
One of my buddies was having a crashing problem, some pilot error and one radio glitch cost him three planes. He was one of my instructors way back when I was learning to fly, so it came as a surprise when his confidence was all but gone and he was about ready to quit. Then came SPADs, back to flying and having more fun than ever, especially doing combat with the gnats. Just my 2 cents!