I got into the hobby last year about the same time our club had a fly in. We had some pros come out with large, expensive planes, and all they did the whole time was hover, harriers, torque rolls, and walls. Now i'm not complaining, but it seems these guys were only interested in these moves, maybe because they are the toughest to master. It seems the spad teaches them realitivly easy with little expense. IMO, build the spad and practice hovers and harriers close to the ground where it is most likely you will trash a balsa plane, and take your balsa plane and practice other pattern or 3d moves at a safe altitude. To me its not worth trashing a nice plane or even a profile, just to learn how to hover, it's not necessary.