Since I started flying SPAD's that is no longer a inhibitor.

I started flying in March of this year. I bought a Superstar 40, MDS .40 and a cheapy jr radio combo. BOY, if I had to do it all over again, I WOULDN'T DO THAT!

If I had known about SPAD's then, or knew somebody that had one, I certainly would have gone that route. Find somebody to help you build a SPAD trainer, and take that extra $140US that you would have spent on the bag o' balsa, and put it into a computer radio, better engine and servos.

Being new, YOU ARE GOING TO CRASH ! It happens, get over it. So you can be real anal and just fly your balsa trainer around in circles all day being scared to crash it. Or you can fly a $10.00 spad airframe and your skills will improve 10 fold. Why? Cause not being afraid to crash, you'll get braver quicker and try new things, loops, rolls, inverted. You aren't scared, you push yourself, fly out of the box, explore the envelope.

As you improve, you can build quicker faster, better looking spads, or you can buy some of the great sport arfs out there. Its at this point, you will thank SPADS, cause you now have a really nice radio, engine and flight pak to stuff into it.

If you are a hands on type, you will enjoy the designing and building process almost, if not more than flying itself. People at your field will think you are a rocket scientist, cause you bring your own creations to fly. Its not rocket science, and much easier than you think, but hey, if they wanna think your a rocket scientist, let em!

There is an old fellow at our field always making fun of the spads I bring out to fly, and sometimes crash, always smiling as I go to pick up the pieces (which happens less and less these days). It took 6 months, but 2 weeks ago, he asked me where I got the plans and materials from.

This has been my experience, your mileage may vary...