Minn... Hey... I thought I was playing the part of "Devil's Advocate" in this thread. I don't disagree with you one bit and thank you for amplifying on my "ifs" and "buts" as you put it. I just wanted to point out that a traditional second plane is not always required or best for every pilot. In general, pilots that are quick studys can skip the traditional second plane. This means that most pilots should look at a traditional second plane, but it isn't uncommon for pilots to successfully fly a hotter second plane.

Yes, the problem with a hotter second plane is that you would go cold turkey from a highly stable plane (like a trainer) to a plane that is very neutral, like a GP Ultrasport, Sig SE, etc. I can see were some pilots would get into trouble quickly. This is why even the quick learner needs an experienced pilot spotting for the first several flights. Unfortunately, neutral stability is what makes planes more aerobatic and honest to control inputs... kinda a doubled edged sword I suppose.

Cheers.