I can feel your pain at having to wait, but lets not scare away the newcomers
It may have cost you $1000 to get the plane on the ground ready for take off but thats it, after that 1st flight u just got fuel etc, if you look after your new kit it will last you years, so yea the initial outlay can seem large but you only got to buy the big stuff once .
lets look at other hobbies, My mate is into the mountain bike thing, he blew £1000 (UK) on a new bike, just the bike, now think how much RC kit he woulda got for that!! woot, ok golf hmmm could blow $1000 on 2 irons easy .
Need i go on!!!!..
Good luck with the AMA thingy hope your in the air soon


Jim.