I find it sad that guys at the field laugh at your efforts to scratch build your own designs. That is a sad thing to hear. Really sad.

My trainer is a ARF. Still have it. I was so surprised by offers to buddy box me to learn to fly that I didn't think I would have time to build. My buddy who trained me offered to sell me his Aerostar 60 that he built and learned on. So, I sunk all of my remaining money into a nice transmitter. The morning I was to pay him for the Aerostar it crashed due to his transmitter failing. There went my trainer! Another guy gave me an offer on his ARF trainer, flight box & gear, and a radio that I didn't really want. That is how I started out flying rc. I sold the radio for half of the whole setup price. I don't have many feelings for the trainer other than seeing all of the repairs either my buddy or I made as I punished it along. Ha ha, there are a lot of repairs too! I do remember learning to fly in strong winds with it when I should have not flown it.

The planes that I've built are another story.