Greetz All.
Being the cheap ***** I am, I purchased an Aerobird. It was $150 dollars. I don't know about you, but I live in the real world and money dosen't grow on trees, 2 Kids, Wife, 2 Cars, 1 Home and NO $$$.
Is flying an Aerobird as fun as flying a "real" RC plane as opposed to an electric "toy"? Dunno, I haven't got $500 to blow on an airplane and $75 to join a club and another $75 to join the AMA so you can join the damn club. Then you get to let someone else fly your plane so you don't lose you $500 "investment". No thanks.
I'm teaching myself to fly on an Aerobird. It's lots of fun and if I plant it a few times, well plastic can be glued back together and styrafoam is easy to tape. Don't get me wrong, I'd enjoy flying a gas plane, but the fact of the matter is it's EXPENSIVE.
I'd suggest checking out some of the posts about the Aerobird, there are even some folks who've flown the gas planes who love flying the Aerobird.
I'm not sorry. I love my "toy".