I'm a seasonal highway worker laid-off for the winter and need to keep my hands busy. I am 44 years old and have been building planes since I was 14. I love most of the popular Sig kits as they tend to build fast, strong and fly great. The Top Flite line up of the popular war birds are a bit more labor intensive but that also depends on the amount of scale details one wants put into the project. If you have a kit you want built just PM me so we can talk about it thanks.

Thanks for all inquire keep-em coming thanks again!

Thanks guys!

You know I think ARF's are taking over. Buying the kit , then paying some one to build it gets a little expensive and people would rather buy a new ARF than repair a good build

Oh yes I build to

Well kit building will always be around and it still has a very large following for sure. I have seen some very nice ARFs these days but I'm sure most would agree that very few can compare with the skill of a quality seasoned builder's abilities. When it comes to a museum quality build like that of a Zeroli P-38 or a Glenn Torrence (GTM) 1/3 Scale Dr.1 they just don’t make an ARF for these. Sadly some guys just don't have the time, skills, or even the desire to build models of this magnitude but have dreamed of owning one since childhood. For a fortunate few cost is unimportant when it comes to a driving passion for possessing ones childhood dream. This is where the builder comes into the mix often filling the need by providing his oh so sought after masterfully honed skills to create those wonderful scale works of art.

I do kit building and arf assembly in the central KY area. I will not own an arf except for the little foam electric planes. I have seen too many arfs that are barely held together with glue.

Funny typo - it'd be RICE held together with glue, wouldn't it?

(barely, not barley!)

Spelling don't count on this thread we got his point.

ARFs may be taking over to some degree, but there are many kits that no ARF is available for. I will very clearly point out, too, that an RTF or ARF from China does not compare to a kit built by a seasoned pro: It will always last longer and be more repairable. As Stick Tickler points out, the skills of a master builder are in high demand. They don't have to take up a project if they don't desire to. Quite a few can ask any price they want, and they usually get it. I think the price quoted to me by him is very reasonable, compared to some of the other estimates I received elsewhere. I greatly appreciate it when someone is willing to offer their services for a small price, so someone else who could never build can get the chance to experience what a quality hand built plane has to offer.

NorfolkSouthern

I will be the first but not the last to admit. I own three ARFs (Alpha 40 Trainer, UltraStick 40 and Brio 10), of which I've only flown one. I did a two servo modification to the Alpha 40 by mounting a servo in both wings instead of one servo controlling both ailerons. That modification got me excited, so i went out and bought a SIG Kougar kit to build over the winter and for our club build contest. While the ARFs were a easy and with minimal challenge, I prefer the feel of accomplishment of building my SIG. This kit build is a great experience and has turned out to be most rewarding. I will build many others kits in future.

I support the kits.

ARFs have their place. A number of times I would have missed chances to fly if I had to wait until I completed a kit with the hit and miss weather we have here but they will never stop me from scratch or kit building. I have 2 scratch builds going at the moment. An extra 230 and a Sr. Telemaster.
The satisfaction I get from flying something I built from scratch can't be matched by ARFS and I think that can be said for all the builders out there.
However there are a lot of flyers out there that would not be out there at all if they had to build and they do add to the hobby in many ways so I welcome them and their ARFs.
Bottom line if you are out there and you are having fun you are doing it right whether you are doing it my way or not.

Troy...I fully agree. ARFs do make it possible for people to break into the hobby, that's how did. But now that I building I'm getting a joy and satisfaction an ARF could never bring.

I would recommend all new people to buy an ARF first learn to fly to ensure you want to stay with the hobby, because to build from scratch or kit requires a good investment ($$$) into the right tools and equipment to build it right.