I just built a Flitestreak. Brodak kit, covered with silk and dope. I don't build from kits much, mostly my own designs or from plans. I have George Aldrich's proof set of plans for the Brodak kit, but I decided to buy a kit and put the saved time into building something else, not from a kit. I think I probably could have bought an ARF for the same or less than the kit, but I don't care to have an ARF. I suspect the proportion of builders vs non-builders is much higher in CL (stunt, at least) than in RC. However there are a number of folks who jumped on the ARF's, and I can think of several friends who are happy with a bought, borrowed, or given airplane someone else built.

I'm kind of talking around the point that I regard building models as just as essential to my happiness as flying them. However, I am most pleased to see the ARF's proliferate for those who will enjoy them. I also have no intention of going electric as I have too many glow and diesel engines needing airplanes. I do applaud the efforts being made in electric CL. I've seen a couple of electric stunt airplanes fly and they gave nothing away. Bob Hunt made it onto our FAI CL stunt team flying a glow airplane converted to electric. So I am for things which I think will "grow control line" even if they are of no personal appeal.

Different strokes for different folks.