Sorry you're getting frustrated. I'd have to agree that the Decathlon is not a beginner plane, but with a little bit of care, you can handle it.

The first recommendation I have is to put your controller on high rates and leave it there. My plane will not fly on low rates and I've found atleast one more person who has this problem.

Second, make sure that you use very small control inputs; your thumb should barely move the stick. I taught my dad to fly on the J-3 cub and his biggest problem was learning not to use large control inputs. Once he got over that (and it didn't take long) he was fine.

Hand launching is not difficult, but it can be intimidating at first. Make sure the plane is at full throttle and give the plane a firm throw making sure to throw it level. I throw the plane about as hard as I would throw a football to a middle school kid: firm and smooth. Also, once the plane is airborne, just concentrate on keeping the wings parallel to the ground. Let the plane build up speed and it will climb by itself.

Finally, I suggest you check this page. http://www.rcuniverse.com/magazine/a...article_id=492
It has some excellent suggestions from people who know a lot more than I do. I did not change the motor, but I did change the prop and it made a HUGE difference. In my opinion, you *have* to do this before you fly again. Best of luck! If you have any questions, feel free to PM me or post them here.