I owned probably 15 or so planes over the years: trainers, Cubs, HLG's, electric 2-meters, Quikee .40's, you name it. I would anything that was a good deal, build it and fly it..... But in the 'hangar' I always had a trainer. No matter what I brought to the field, the trainer (Balsa USA Stik .40 Plus) would come with me, charged and ready to fly. The controls were hotted up as far as the hinges would allow, it was ugly (probably 3-4 coats of paint over the years and multiple wing coverings), but also stone reliable, and I didn't have much of an emotional investment in it..... Don't cast aside your trainers. After you can fly everything else, the trainers are still WAY fun, and with hot control throws, will do anything you ask of 'em...maybe not as 'prettily' as a pattern plane or something, but they're also the plane you can throw around without worrying too much about the consequences. Come to Farmington, CT, and watch our resident 'old guy' do square outside loops with his LT40 with knife-edge turnarounds