This was my first solo flight ever. The PTS is the only plane that I've had... I can't really comment on the jump from a high wing to this, because I've never flown anything else. I think that it is a good stable aircraft, and although I had to take longer in training then most, I think that I've learned some skills that I wouldn't have gotten with a high wing trainer. I think that if you are comfortable with the high wing that there wouldn't be any reason not to go to the P51, but I would say that you shouldn't be to quick to take the training aids off of it. I think the air brakes should go immediately as they really slow the plane down, and make it unstable in moderately windy conditions, with those things on it seemed like it was pretty close to the stall speed most of the time. Other than that it's a very stable plane and I would recommend it as a trainer, although I think lots of sim time is a must, and video game experience is highly useful.. I don't know what it's like not to have that experience but I would think that it would be much more difficult. I think you should go ahead and get the PTS as its a great plane, and if you look at the mods people are putting on it in the ARF forum, you can see that it'll really grow with you. Here's hoping that I keep it in one piece until that time