I don't see how having the flight stand cut for you would or could be a breach of the rules: you have put so much time into the build that the commercial element must be negligible. 
I thought as much, but I can always swop it out if it causes a problem.
Haven't kept a log of how much time I've spent on it, but I've gone through two seasons of Stargate, and three seasons of Battlestar Galactica, while I've been building it.
i'm not sure you're really trying hard enough if you're only beginning... 
Well..I haven't done anything really daft lately, but then again I do have a few other projects to work on once this is finished, which might push me over the edge....I guess it's all relative really.
