RE: control throw meters: you need them?
You can make a simple control throw guage by glueing together two scrap balsa sticks at right angles. Mark fractions of an inch on the short stick. This is a lot more precise than trying to hold a straightedge, a ruler and working your TX sticks all at the same time. Remember, the reasons that planes of good fliers fly well is because everything on the plane is set up as precisely as possible.