I have been flying R/C for over 25 years now, and vaguely remember my training sessions with THE trainer of the day, the Goldberg Falcon 56. I enjoy training students today, and overall, I believe the trainer designs are better for first time flyers. I have always been a little struck by how so many flyers, once soloed, never seem to advance beyond a trainer.

My question arrises out of this experience: I wonder how many novice pilots, once soloed, go beyond the trainer, and then to what level? I bet some of the kit mfgs. have some stats on trainer kits and arf trainers sold, and I wonder where it goes from there? Very open ended questions, but you thoughts, opinions?