I won't be buying any expensive 3d modellers as I just can't find the consistent amount of time it requires to learn them (nor afford them). Sketchup just seemed a bit easier than blender which is why I liked it.
I did try some other software, I think it was called XSIMod or something like that. and found some docs on the workflow to be able to load into flash, although that may have been a papervision3d workflow back then, but no reason why it wouldnt work in away3d I think. It had a youtube video lesson too. Ok I did a search and found it: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3uKWo3P-M58
