Martin,

Know where you're coming from - been there done that. I think everybody who's been in this hobby hits a point of frustration at one point or another. I've been playing with RC planes for around 35 years and one think I've learned is if you feel the frustration and burnout, just put them up for a while. I'm sure even RCKen, MinnFlyer, Bruce and others have hit this point at one time or another. While you can get a RTF trainer and be flying in under an hour, to stay in this hobby takes some dedication and patients. This is not a hobby of instant gratification after you get past the first trainer. Like in full scale, you don’t learn to fly on a Lear Jet, you start with a single engine recip and work your way up.

I agree with others that you may have jumped too far in with the 9C radio. I have a Futaba 7C and while I've used many of the functions, I don't use all of them. Most of my equipment is the old style, and I was just happy with the servo reverse switches (I learned when your servo reversing was to install a reverse direction servo or re-do your control rods, and there was no end point adjustments, etc, all done at the servo and control horn). I did get a bit frustrated while learning to program a few features on my 7C a few times - so I just set it aside for a day or so the got back into it.

My advice is to take a step back, hang the Sundowner up and don't think about it for at least a week. Then sit down and re-evaluate where your present skills are, set some goals where you want to be at this point next year, and discuss them with the clan here. Gain some experience with an intermediate trainer, and find somebody who is into gas planes and have them work with you to set up the Sundowner and radio next spring so it will be ready for you to fly towards the end of the flying season next year.

Hogflyer