RE: Is hovering really that hard to learn / do?
The problem I have seen with new fliers lately is the urge to try funnels and tic tocs before they master hovering in all orientations, doing figure 8's without changing altitude on the up and down wind legs etc, stuff that got hammered into my brain with lots of practice before getting crazy by the person that helped me along when I learned.
Of course when I learned there wern't many people flying the current flying style.