My Avistar was "shot down", that is, another flyer with my frquency turned his radio on when I was in flight. I lost all control and it went straight down, rekiiting itself in milliseconds.

I'm new enough that I don't know a lot about other trainers, but the Avistar, with its semi symetrical wing, makes an excellent first trainer. I had an OS 46AX on mine and when I first went on the buddy box, I used low rates and only went around the field at 1/2 throttle. Flight by flight, I increased the throttle and it wasn't long before I was comfortable flying at full speed. By the time I soloed, I was using high rates and doing minor aerobatics. I do not possess any extra skills so I know that most people could safely fly the Avistar as a first plane. I bought two planes as my 2nd.....I bought a SIG 4* and a Thunder Tiger P-51 and am having a ball on them.