The hobby is worth it.

There are forums like this to ask questions, people like us to help each other out, and clubs to help you learn to fly your plane.

Nothing that flies is easy; we are hundreds, thousands, and even millions of years behind nature, yet we are progressing at a very rapid rate. Because the way technology is developed, things change. Lipos may seem a little scary, but think about the amount of energy and what you can do with that light weight, little battery pack, and think about what you would be trying to use 5 years ago.

Manufacturers and companies want you to use their product, that's a business thing. I have a set of $1200 Volkl skis, and I am limited to one single brand of bindings to hold the skis to my feet, and I don't even like Marker (binding co.) - now you're essentially talking about life and death and you (I) don't even have a choice as to what binding company to trust my life to.

Some things are there for a reason - with a prop reamer you can get your prop to fit a range of engine sizes. If you were to standardize the prop shaft, you would be either sacrificing strenght of grossly over designing the engine, both of which could be costly.

Anyway, you will get familiar with things and it will make more sense, and you will know what works and what doesn't. You will end up with lots of extra parts which can be annoying at first, but next thing you know you're able to make modifications, try new things, equip a new plane or help a friend out.

A large part of this hobby is building, repairing, and modifying. We fight gravity 100% of the time we fly and mother nature doesn't like to lose; things happen, we accept it, and we have fun with it (sure with a little rant here and there, we're human).

Please feel free to ask lots of questions and ask for guidance on anything. There are over 300,000 people on this forum to help and be helped, and most of the time you can get an answer within minutes. I'm really new at this (one year) but I have been helped and guided tremendously by people on this site - some of who I've met in person - and I hope to help another new comer the same if I can.

Flying airplanes is A LOT of FUN. Join a club, make some friends, soak in the outside, and play with airplanes.

Good luck, and Welcome!