Ok, Back when I learned to fly RC, back in 92, nobody at the field had a trainer cord. The instructor would take the plane up and hand you the radio. When you got into trouble the instructor would snatch the radio from you to save the plane. With the 40 sized trainers you can fly higher and keep good perspective of the plane.

Forget the Eagle 2, it has a dowel rod for the wings leading edge. The rest have a balsa leading edge with sheeting back to the spar. I don't like the rear stabilizer in the low position on the Aero-star making it easier for ground contact of the elevator possibly stripping gears on the servo. One kit you didn't mention is the Tower Trainer kit which may be the same kit as the PT-40.

If you want an OS engine step up to the AX, it is ball bearing were the LA is bushing. The SuperTigre and Tower engines you mentioned should be decent but may take longer to break in.

If I offended you guys by suggesting an ARF I am sorry, I was assuming that Pitch19 was working on a limited budget, and with the money saved in getting the ARF can buy a good kit for the second plane.

The Extra 300 you listed earlier is a highly aerobatic plane and wouldn't be a good second plane. Two seconds I would recommend would be the Great Planes Raptor or the Goldberg Tiger 2.

I am with these guys where it comes to the scratch builds, get a couple of kits under your belt before you try. A couple of good sources for plans though are AMA's website,www.modelaircraft.org, and RC modeler magazine at www.rcmmagazine.com/