Hey Wings,
The LT40 and "belly landings" is not recommended. First, you do go 60-90 MPH, but slow that for landings. Second, you invest a good deal of $$ in an engine and props, if you belly land you'll be replacing props every flight (95% anyway).
Hand launching the LT 40 is almost out of the question, unless you have a mounted too large of an engine. There is a lot of wing that must bite the air in a big hurry to do a hand launch. There is also a lot of prop to worry about. (How are you going to hold a screaming .40 size plane AND a radio, safely?)
So, what to do, what to do.... Ask the local hobby shop if there is anyone in the area that flys. Maybe they can find a spot for you nearby and take you up for a "look-see" and give you an idea of how it will handle.
The comparison to Aerobird won't work. Aerobird weighs next to nothing, and can be floated in. LT 40's have some weight, which translates into forward momentum, which translates into less agility than the Aerobird. Although still, the LT 40 is one of the best Trainers around.
In a nutshell, we are comparing apples to oranges.
There is a much more successful outlook if you just keep asking questions, and learn as much as you can. So far you are off to a good start.