Mikel-T

In your example, the 4* series has been used a first trainers since they land as slow or slower than most trainers plus they definitely cut the wind much better than any trainer I have flown, but when powered by a strong engine, they are defintely faster. It is possible as long as the student has a fairly good instructor.

I do get the chance to fly trainers in the instructor role and also quite allot of maiden flights and have also been known to allow my students to beat on my trusty 4*40 now and again. It is modified to take more than the average abuse and with the Saito 56 it's strong but not overly fast. Toss in a 46AX turning an 11X7 prop and it screams.

It's a matter of skill. Some students have a good knack of how to fly and usually can handle the trainers slow flight and floating tendencies very well by the second or 3rd flight. This is when I break out the 4*.

Other students have never seen an RC plane let alone even held a transmitter and have a hard time with the sticks. This is where a trainers slower speed will shine the most. It gives them and the instructor more time for recovery.

As far as the experienced going to fly a trainer. All I can say is this. There are times when I have had no students for a few weeks and then one shows up and I need the first flight to maiden the plane and to get my thumbs used to being slower on the sticks. My precision does not suffer since I try to be as precise as possible with whatever I am flying at any given moment. I just have to remember to slow down some

It all boils down to what the student can handle. The unspoken rule that everyone must start on a trainer is bunk, BUT, if a student does want to train on a low wing I see no wrong in grilling them to death to make sure they understand that things will happen much faster for them if they do not use the trainer first and also to prop the engine to keep the speed down and have good prop braking.

To me flying a floater is easy. I have a Funtana 90 that just loves to float ( as you call it, a big "kite" with an engine in moderate winds), a Twist that can float better than most trainers do, a 4* 40 that has one of the best glidpaths of all my planes, an Ultimate that does not float but is very predictable on landing and a CG Sukhoi that must land at a higher speed than most trainers and if you try to float it you will be picking up pieces.

A floater can also be a pain in a headwind or crosswind as they will not want to land, that is where keeping in a couple of clicks of throttle will help and this is also required of all highwing trainers.

The other thing that a high wing has against it, at least in my eyes is the crosswind takeoff and landing. All that fuselage just sitting there under the wing plus the wing itself being higher up and allowing more air under it. It will definitely help in learning crosswind control and sideslip. Sideslip on a low wing can be tricky since the wing that is being dipped into the wind must be level at touchdown or a cartwheel is in order. A high wing can be sidesliped right onto the ground in some cases but care must be exercised in making sure the rudder is straight before the nose wheel touches.

So you see, each has their own good and bad points, it's a matter of preference and initial skill level. At least in my eyes.