I'll chip in here. I'm very new to this hobby, and my first plane was a LT-40 kit. In fact I soloed just a few weeks ago. I've always like to build, and this kit was very easy to build. I've learned alot from this forum when I built my kit. I have 3 more kits in my closet. I thought I would never put together an ARF. But unfortunately, I had a case of dumb thumbs and my LT-40 needs some repair. The repairs are easy enough but it will take awhile. So I bought an ARF trainer, just so I could get back in the air as soon as I could. I've heard both sides of the ARF vs KIT. Each has it's own place. For me, my LT-40 will take time to rebuild, but since I built it from a kit, I have templates from my old scrapes to make new parts, where as for ARF's, I get to get back in the air with just a few days of assembly. But there is a big difference on how ARF's are put together vs a kit. I have more pride in my kit, and knowing that I built it from sticks, make's it me more determined/challanged to get it back in the air, because I built it. With the ARF, I'm not as attached to it as my kit, so if I do crash, its not a big deal. Does that make sense? There is just that feeling you have about a kit you put together yourself vs an ARf. I prefer kits, but fortunately a ARF is going to get me back in the air quicker.

Thanks
CC