I'm not sure I understand how a trainer is boring..... When powered more than adequately, and with control throws increased and the CG set at between 29 and 31%, they're very spirited aircraft to fly. Scale looks don't mean a damn at 50' or more away, and the air sure don't care about the pilot figure inside (I do tho, planes with empty cockpits look wrong).

Trainers do have a significant self righting in roll from dihedral, but for the most part their dive-pull-out behavior is a result of a forward CG. Moving that rearward will reduce the tendancy. It'll also increase that elevator sensitivity. Don't be afraid to move it rearward as you progress, but be very careful about going rear of 33%. There be dragons. Learning to counteract roll and pitch coupling is a valuable skill. It may seem that a nexstar rolls and dives with rudder, and it does. But with a little practice, you can correct for it. A little more practice, and you'll correct for it and swear you never did. Many more planes in your future will exhibit this trait, and mastering it on an inexpensive trainer will really help save that SE5A one day.

I know I'm beating on you, but it's from my own experience. 2 years ago, I was given a 3 channel .25 size trainer airframe, which I completed and learned with. My next plane (for all intents and purposes) was that P51 you see in my avitar. That was my aileron trainer, my first warbird, my first low wing, and my first 100+mph plane. Boy, what a handfull! My cautious nature has kept it in one piece thus far, but it had no right to survive!

I now fly the 'stang or the trainer about equally frequently. There are may days I just don't have the mental capacity to fly that stang.

For orientation, practice will help lay that to rest, tho size does help here. One day last year, flying the murdourous mustang, it all just clicked. I don't fly from the pilot stations anymore (tho you'll see me standing there). I fly from the cockpit. Keeping orientation while flying a grey plane on a grey overcast sky requires me, the pilot, to know what I'm about to attempt, to know how it's going to go wrong (if it does) and to have a plan and room to execute that plan. Just flying about thinking, Ok, now a roll, thena loop, then an immelman is asking for trouble. Instead think "next circuit, enter s & l, Loop with roll at top, slow roll away, immelman, downwind... Before you start the circuit. Each pass is a little air show, with one 2 or 3 manouvers. When you do exactly as you intended, precisely, almost every time, you're learning to fly.

J