I have been flying a 4*60 arf for 3 seasons it was my second plane after learing on A nexstar and after this experience I wish that I would have just skiped the nexstar . not because the nexstar was bad it was easy to fly and quite aerobatic without the wing droops. but because the 4* 60 is so gentle if you want it to be and will do most any non 3D trick . this combined with my flight simulator makes me think it would have been easy with A buddy box.

I was going to sell my 4* but my wife is now learing to fly and it will be her second plane after her wm super fronteir senior(copy of A kedet senior).
the reason I was going to sell was because it was A little to mild for me at this point and I only have so much room and can only afford to keep so many planes flying. about 12 now.

with that being said one of those new planes is A pules 40xt ARF witch I purchased after helping one of my students prep and fly one as his second plane
he has done very well and is flying it on his own after I trimmed it and talked him thru take off and landing,that is if he can convince me to let him have his own plane! like A four star it can be docile but is alittle cleaner and wont slow down as quickly on final approach but it can land slowly if you slow it down before your over the runway.

as far as weak landing gear blocks this is somthing that seems common on ARF'S my 4* needed it's block fixed without any real bad landings.
iwas lucky to find it was failing before it came out.

IMO the 4* is A great plane but the pulse is just as capable as A second plane with A little more fun after your over the fear of flying your first low wing witch I think people make to big A deal of as long as its the rite plane.

the 4* can be bashed into A very aerobatic machine if your into that as I have seen one fly. As said earlier there are several planes that would also be good second planes.