While a SPAD may not be to your liking, the SPADET is a good trainer. It looks a lot like the Avistar, in fact you can shape the tail feathers any way you like it. Even if you don't like the idea of a coroplast airplane you can take the dimensions of the plane from the plans and build it from foam, balse, etc. I've been making them from foam board, then covering them with the plastic covering of choice. The foam board is smooth and looks like balsa sheeting when covered.

I've seen some sweet Spadets


Spadet plans here:
[link=http://www.spadtothebone.com/SPAD/Spadet/]http://www.spadtothebone.com/SPAD/Spadet/[/link]

just my $.02.