Scale birds is where you will spend the most IMO. You figure 1000+ for a good .50 nitro or 600 size built with quality stuff, then you can spend another 500 to 1000 on the fuselage and things to make it a scale bird such as retracts and lights. While you aren't doing hard flying, so things don't wear out as quick as a 3d bird, if you ever stuff it, you are out a large chunk of change replacing the fuse and making the heli fly again. Unless of course you have the tools and skill to scratch build, then you can just build another fuse pretty cheap, but you are out all the time it takes to do it.