ORIGINAL: ptulmer
GB, strangely enough, I trained on an Electrostreak kit converted to glow with a .15la. After that I bought a trainer (it was cheap) and it seemed to fall out of the sky. I hated it. Four years later, I have another E-streak kit on my workbench. Yep, a .15la is there too! (might even be the same one) Your point is valid and well said. To boil it down- everyone is different. I did better when they went where I pointed.
*heh* Esentially, I did the same thing. I solo'd first on the telemaster, but never DID really get comfy with it. I could fly it safely (to both it and spectators), but I ALWAYS felt like it was work to keep it in the air. I bought the E-streak about a week after I solo'd, and truly feel I started LEARNING then.
I LOVE the idea of converting one to glow...may have to try that some time.
In any event, as you said...I seem to get more and more comfortable the quicker the plane goes where I point it. Doesn't make us better pilots, simply different. The point, as you say, is valid...there are certainly those out there for whom a UCD would be an IDEAL 2nd plane (or even trainer), and those for whom it would be a big hole in the ground waiting to happen. Which one nashman is (or whether he's even still alive) only he can answer.