Originally posted by flynm
BTW, the wife is also grieving, but it's not due to the loss of the plane. It's because she see's dollar signs. 
Dan
Nah, no amens!! Read my signature!!! Helps a lot!!
I am sorry for your plane...but, it does speak of the way the hobby has progressed...15 years ago, when I got into the hobby, 1/4 scale was THE big ones, and took years to be ready for one!! Now, it's people's 2nd plane. It took me 8 years, and probably 20 planes, to progress to 1/4 scale, by then I knew how to build, how to fly, and get out of trouble, and motors, and servos, and radios, and coverings, and controls, and how to get out of stalls, and spins, and I knew throttle control...you get the picture...
NOW, quite a few pilots have the 1/4 scale as their 2nd plane...they haven't built it, haven't learned the hard way, how to fly, and expect instant gratification....and 1/4 scale is no longer the "big boys" as it once was...
A lot of people haven't learned the 'finesse' that a big plane takes, to keep it in the air...they haven't learned how to react to a plane that has to have pretty good airspeed to stay up, and they haven't learned the reflexes that it takes to fly a giant...but the hobby manufacturers have put these giants in their hands, often long before they are ready for them...it's not all the hobby manufacturers fault - when I first started, I could hardly dream of spending the money for a giant! Now, it's just a few bucks, by comparison....
Gone are the days of learning by a long, involved process...now it's learning by "instant experience"...got the $$$'s, flown a bit, and it's readily available....
The Cap is a great flyer...keep the airspeed up, have nimble fingers, progress to the skill to fly it, and it's NO problem...
working on my 33% Extra now, I will have $4,000 or so in it, but I won't be afraid to fly it, because I paid my dues, and have total confidence in my skills....
I only say this all, because the first post said a more experienced pilot took it up first, great takeoff and landing...so the plane flies great. I urge everyone, to take stock of your skills, and take the longer road to learn to fly your planes...don't be so anxious to fly the rip-snorting, high performance planes, until you have the experience to do so...you will be MUCH happier, and richer in the long run!!!!