I started RC Flying when I was 14. I got a trainer for my 14th birthday. I'm only 18 now but I don't even remember how I found out about the hobby. I was lucky in that my dad has always been interested in this kind of thing so he helped when I started. Since then I have have built 5 artfs......well assembled, and 3 kits (Never crashed one either which is more than I can say for the other club members). At the minute I am build Tony Nijhuis's Lanc. Personally, I have not found any problem with buying any of the materials required for the hobby, except the money of course. I am probably the youngest person in my club (the average age is about 85) I am now teaching my dad to fly.........he's a slow learner but he's getting there......lefts and rights and all that. I'm in Ireland and i believe that our national organisation, MACI, are now organising some kind of education program to encourage youths to take up the hobby. I think that the main problem with the take up of this hobby by young people is the cost. Most don't have jobs and unless your parents will help chances are you will not be able to afford it. Many of my friends have been dicouraged by the cost. I have been working for a few years, (used to cut grass but have now moved on to better things) so I always funded myself but this is not the norm, in my area anyway. I do think though, that clubs could make more of an effort to encourage the hobby at a local level as most people I know have never heard of an rc plane with an i.c. engine. When they here about rc planes they think of the little 2 channel things sold in toy shops. I personally think that these planes make the hobby look a bit childish and people will not appreciate the skill invloved in flying a plane. John C