Im with you on trying it all...

I will tell you this... Once you get really good, no correctly built airplane is going to be that hard to fly. I have flown just about every style there is including helis, (and except jets) in my short span of 4 years and they are all easy to fly... . Except maybe a GEE BEE and its just hard to land period.

Biggest thing you will run into with Prop planes is stall characteristics on landing.. Planes like the CAP232, Giles, P51 all of these planes and a few more (including jets) will stall on you of you slow them down too much. Other than that if you keep them up to speed they are all easy to knock around with.

If you want a real challenge, sequence precision flying will be your thing. Its called IMAC if you want to fly big scale planes like the Edge, Extra, Yak, Giles, Ultimate Bipe, Cap etc.. Or you can go with pattern which is MORE precise and just a little different. The planes are designed and build to fly pattern but must weigh less than 11 pounds and fit inside of a 2 Meter Square. Its my favorite.

If you want the coolest and arguably the most challenging (technically difficult) 3d is your thing. 3D and precision pilots are usually one and the same. 3D requires you to have extreme flight skills that will allow you to do some really raddical (but beautiful if corectly done) maneuvers,, most of them as close in as as close to the ground as you dare. A lot of older, but not all, guys dislike 3D, typically because 3D does not follow the circuit and disturbs flying in a circle, so if you do it pick your moments and be respectful as they should respect you.. or find a club that is into 3D. It requires a lot of flying in REAL close, real slow and real low. Pattern, IMAC and 3D skills all compliment one another bigtime. If you do 3D, you will probably (and probably should) do one of the others as well.

Pattern ships can be fast, but they arent really intended to be flown fast. If you want a fast pattern plane just to go fast get an older style like the Prophecy, I had one and with a YS 1.4 it was too fast because its so sleek and aerodynamic. The newer widebody designs are built to fly a little slower so that you can maintain a constant speed throughout the pattern and get better knife edge, snap and downline braking performance.