Motormind... hello from Lincoln!

I don't see RTFs expanding much beyond the class of plane they dominate now. For a beginner, all the guesswork is taken out with the complete RTF package. This makes it easier for a beginner to successfully start the hobby.

Once the pilot becomes experienced, they start to develop preferences for radio, engines, servo's, gear, etc. If the vendor makes a RTF of an advanced plane intended for experienced pilots, they will run into these individual preferences, making the vendor choice of engine/radio etc a hard sell. In your example, I wouldn't want the OS 46AX engine and if the RX isn't Futaba PCM, I wouldn't want that either. The OS 46AX is a fine engine, but I'd prefer a YS63. Nothing wrong with a good Hitec or JR RX and servos, I'd just prefer Futaba. JR rx is wrong shift, and wouldn't work with my TX. So, if the only way I could buy the plane were with the OS and vendor radio, I wouldn't buy the plane. If the vendor tried to please me and sold the RTF with the YS63 and Futaba PCM gear, then another whole bunch of pilots wouldn't like the YS or Futaba gear. Not to mention I already have the engine and radio gear, so again, I wouldn’t want to buy another engine and flight pack when I already have one.

I believe this is why many vendors sell "package" deals where you can get the ARF and the vendor selected gear for that plane at a small discount. If you want the "RTF", get the vendor package deal. If not, just get the ARF. This is a far as I see them going anytime soon with advanced planes. Sure, the package deal isn't as quick as a true RTF, but it doesn't take more than a few hours to install gear in 25% or smaller planes.

What I do see changing in the next several years is that more and more high quality ARFs will be on the market and kits will all but disappear. From my experience, it is generally not possible to build a kit, or scratch build, at the same or lower cost of a typical ARF. This will push kits sales to just those pilots that enjoy building over flying. Personally, I’d rather fly. I will only build so I have something to fly. If it is cheaper to get the ARF than to build, it is pretty much a no brainier. It has nothing to do with instant gratification.

Cheers