Most pattern airplanes are very easy to fly. We want them setup this way as it makes flying the maneuvers easier if the plane flies very well. Most do not have very high roll rates or pitch rates as we want smoothness and gracefullness, not how fast you can roll and such. They certainly aren't harder to fly than any of the aerobatic planes on real flight in low rates. Most pattern pilots only use higher rates for certain maneuvers, but none that you would be performing in the lower classes. 10 degrees on elevator, 15 on aileron and 15 or so on low rate rudder (you will need higher for stall turns) are not unusual throws for pilots flying Sportsman,

Arch