My 2 cents. I have built and flown several CMP/Nitroplanes products, and have flown several more built by flying buddies. With rare exception, once set up correctly, these planes fly amazingly well. But , these planes are not for the beginner ! Even the trainers (which are dirt cheap ) come with bare minimum instruction and should be built and setup by an experienced flyer. There are often some typical ARF issues that have to be fixed - such a weak landing gear blocks etc, and that is where the experience helps a lot. All ARF's, from all companies, in my experience usually have some minor issues. THE DIFFERENCE IS THIS - buy an expensive ARF and get a better base product, less to fix, better instructions, less chance to screw up, but PAY MORE, sometimes much more. There is no free lunch in this world. People expect to get the best product on the market for bare minimum dollars and then they complain endlessly because they got a cheap product ! Go figure ! In short, these products provide a cheap starting point for an airplane with great flying potential, provided that you know what you are doing when putting it together, and are willing to put some time into it.

I like CMP products, like it a lot! I like to go over my ARF`s with a fine tooth comb, looking at all the construction details and customize and reinforce as I go along. I always research the experience of others online and learn from them as much as possible. I like to mess around with the plane endlessly before I consider it flight ready. In the end I have a great reliable plane, customized to my liking, that flies GREAT, which is the final goal in anyway. I do this with all ARF`s, even the better quality ones such as Great Planes, Hanger 9, The World Models, all of them. If you don`t like to do this, maybe go the PAY MORE GET MORE way.

As for customer service, NitroModels it can be very difficult to get through to on the phone, email response may be a bit slow, but it is similar to many other services out there today. (It is difficult to bet through to my own bank these days). When they do respond they have always tried to help me. I am friendly, they repond similarly.

That said, when you call Tower Hobbies or Horizon Hobbies, they are right there, right now. AMAZING CUSTOMER service from these guys. You cannot go wrong there at all. Industry leaders get there by doing it right the first time.

Got to go now, I`m working on a CMP Katana, have a lot of work left to do ...... you know .......its gonna fly like magic .........