Jim Messer,
Something else I just thought of. You are the history of this hobby. What we call a "been there,done that" kinda guy.
Not including the new group of flyers means they don't get the chance to learn from the experienced flyers like you. They have no idea what goes into a stick and tissue bird, hand building off a plan, with a pile of balsa. They only know what comes in a box.
Where is this going to leave the hobby, when guys like you are gone?
They don't understand the joys of building, they for the most part don't understand why a bird flies. They're given a plane that some Co. built and they learn to fly it. And that's it, until the next box bird comes along. Hand one of them a set of Nick Ziroli plans and see what happens.
You and folks just like you are a treasure that could be lost. The "Newbies" don't understand it so why should they imbrace it. I guess it's kinda like the AMA not imbracing the new generation of flyers. Both of them are going to loose.