I really don't think the Zen 50 meet your requirements Mike, it doesn't really differ that much from the pattern trainers you wrote about. The Zen 50 is a good choice, but I think you'll have to go up a level in size to fulfill your requirements. There are a lot of nice flying .40 size planes available, don't get me wrong, however, a 60/90 size would fly better. If you choose to go with a small 60 size in stead of a 40-50 size, I think you'll end up with a better flying plane.