Well, as I just found out (totally by accident), we DO exist, and in great numbers....just not necessarily in the USA. However people in Europe, Asia, Central and South America, Australia...are still modelers, not just ARF pilots. Americans have more money than time, and would much rather fly than build THEN fly. Not that there's necessarily anything wrong with that, but it just seems that people are missing out on half the hobby. Also there are a great number of ex-pattern pilots in the US that got out of it because suddenly they found that if they wanted a pattern plane, they either had to have an all composites, or an ARF....not much of a choice for anyone that likes a wood pattern plane. So they left pattern. Think about how many wood planes there were 10 years ago vs now. And the Jap kits? Good luck getting one in the US. It can be done, but it's a major hassle and expensive by the time you get it to your door.

But I also understand completely why someone in business to make money in this particular section of the industry does things the way they do. Mass production and more demand, it's that simple.

I dunno, suddenly I feel like a dinosaur....

-Mike (not extinct just YET)