Beachernaut

Hmmmm.... Off the top of my head... A few helis ranging from tiny electrics to large glow, and a whole pile of planes from small park fliers, to 1/4 scale (25% the size of the real thing) aerobatic planes. To be fair though I had a couple planes and helis that were over $1k each. Part of the reason I got out of RC, you're going to crash, and crashing can get VERY expensive.

At one point I had almost $10k wrapped up in RC airplanes and helis. Lots of fun, but can get expensive fast. Word of advice: A high wing trainer type plane would be better to start with. You can learn with that one, but it's going to be frustrating.

Not sure if you've noticed, but there's quite a bit about KSP that doesn't fit "real world". In KSP, in my experience spaceplanes are more economic, and the challenge is something I enjoy. If you don't have the same experience, that's ok. You don't have to use spaceplanes.

I find pure entertainment in the fact that someone says I'm wrong because my play style is different from theirs.

I too always completely build out the wing and everything that'll attach with no symmetry, then click the root part of that wing and attach it with symmetry.

Are these statements, or opinions?

I agree with something to assist you inside the game. How that should be introduced or handled, I have no idea. My first trip to Duna was a complete disaster over several attempts. I had no idea about transfer windows and how much difference it can make. I finally came here to the forums and did a bit of googling and learned. After a couple thousand hours playing this game, I still consult a phase angle calculator when planning missions. IMO it's part of that "Not too realistic/easy to keep the game fun" idea that Squad keeps mentioning. Figuring out transfer windows in game with no help right now is likely to frustrate players to the point of rage quitting. "Why did they put other planets in the game, they are impossible to get to!".

I've always had the best luck when looking at it from the side and sliding the part I want to attach slowly closer until it snaps to. For example, in you're picture you're looking almost strait on, move so you're 90 degrees to either side looking across the face of the port. Then position the part you want to attach a bit away from the port and slowly bring it towards it. When you get within range the port you're attaching will snap to the one that you're attaching it to. Kind of hard to explain through text.

Keep playing and practice transfers. The more you play, the more of a "feel" you'll get for what you need for the next step. Practice the Mun to Minmus transfer, it's similar to a Duna transfer with less DV needed, although some may consider it more difficult due to the inclination change needed. Also If you mess up you're still close for a rescue mission. I personally have used this and a DV map successfully for a couple years now. It may not be as accurate as some stuff out there, but it's close enough for me to get the job done. Mods/tools can be helpful also. I have no experience with Protractor or KER, but I do use Mechjeb extensively. I agree with the caution to learn maneuvers manually before using Mechjeb to do them. Otherwise, they are good tools if you choose to use them.

Sorry, I got out of RC when Brushless and Lipo were still teething. I hesitate to make suggestions based on experience that's almost a decade old. A good starting point would be to take a gander over to electric RC aircraft/heli forums, and get a feel for what equipment is popular for the size and weight that your designs are expected to be.

If the challenge is really about design and build, you need to set some details. Like X brushless motor, x controler, x prop with x servos, on x battery. As not all motors, batts, etc are not equal it can make a difference. If you're both running the same equipment that are outside of the design, that makes the results more design/skill based. I've got a couple motors that I could fly a 2' box.

I guess I should rephrase that. I have a successful MK4 SSTO that is capable of 30+ tons to orbit. However it always goes into a spin between 40 and 20km on reentry. I've always been able to recover and land, but haven't been able to fix the reentry issue. Moving COM forward enough that it is incapable of level flight still results in reentry instability. Not really a problem since I know I can recover. Though it's always done this, I've probably compounded the issue by modifying the lift ratings on the wings in an attempt to keep part count down. Things get slow when I enter physics range of my 400+ part station, with my 200 part SSTO.

Hmmm... So apparently there were some features on .90 that I have not yet used.

Can you post a screen shot?

Congrats! "oh crap!" moments generally lead to good experience, and a high sense of accomplishment IMO.