How do I establish, maintain, and practice control of my fixed-pitch heli within the ground effect layer?

I noodled on this some here: http://www.rcuniverse.com/forum/Trai...1493730/tm.htm
...but that was a rhetorical thought on CP/FP training.

My specific issue relates to what I see when I practice. As I spool up the rotor, I need to provide right cyclic to keep the heli in place (small other adjustments, as well, but primarily right cylic). As I continue to gradually throttle up, I can balance the heli on its right skid, but taking it vertical from there defies me, unless I've got the training gear strapped on (and that gear makes the heli vibrate horribly).

The heli has plenty of lift (I can burst-throttle it straight up) and is fairly well trimmed (it bursts nearly straight up), but I don't do too well transitioning from a burst to a hover, and I feel more secure closer to the ground (shorter falls), which keeps me in GE. Most FP guys I have seen fly still jump up and down through GE, spending as little time in it as possible, regardless of their skill level... is there no better way to approach this?

I am bidding on a coupla sims on Ebay, but I vastly prefer real-world training exercises (you've probably heard the saying: "A good simulator check ride is like successful surgery on a corpse"). Can anyone recommend exercises that practice establishing, maintaining, and practicing control of my fixed-pitch heli within GE?

Randii