Yes, a guy can get a flyable plane for $155 if he shops around. The problem is that most guys who ask this question really have their budget capped at that point and don't plan to spend any more money on the hobby for a while. And us giving these guys the answers they want just hurts the hobby as a guy without much money dumps his load only to find that there is another $100 (or more) in incidental costs. And that's before he takes his first flight. This is not a cheap hobby and we do well to let people know the real costs right up front. I do it pretty cheaply and have spent about $600 annually for the last 4 years, not including travel. I only have 3 planes and bought none of them new. That's a realistic budget and if that scares a guy away for now then let him wait a while. That's better than him badmouthing the hobby 6 months from now because he got started and couldn't finish.