Unfortunately, there are many places where instructors are very difficult to find, in fact, all but nonexistant.
The newbie then has a choice of going it on his own or get out of the sport altogether. It's interesting how when someone says that as hard as they try, instructors cannot be found and then a well meaning poster claims that it can't be so because "HIS" club "always has instructors eager to help". Obviously that doesn't do the newbie any good if he is in California and the well meaning poster's club is in Boston.

I think that those who belong to "good" clubs tend to think that because they supply such great help, it is the norm in most, if not all clubs.
This is the real world of our sport despite that this truth tends to rub many veteran fliers the wrong way. Of course, one would have to personally get information from most if not all members from most if not all clubs to know what is really happening in the RC aeromodeling world.

Too many times, a newbie goes to the field several times and cannot find anyone who is capable helping, or maybe not find anyone at all. I belong to two clubs which are deserted most days. I've had many beginners personally tell me this, as they were told that there is usually someone there who is eager to help. I am sure that there are those who see a veteran flier put his plane through its paces and the newbie thinks that flying RC planes must be as easy as it looks, therefore, he doesn't feel that he needs help and does indeed go out on his own. Then there are those who are too shy to ask for help. Last, but not least, there are those who are just too proud to ask for help. But who would dare keep records of dropouts because they couldn't find anyone to teach them to fly?

Take care,
CCR
http://www.kites.org/rc_instructors