I think the excitement of the hobby has a lot to do with it. I remember asking about second planes, and wishing as hard as I could that plane XYZ could be recommended for plane #2, so I'd ask everyone and wait for the one or two people that said it was a good second plane. Luckily I didn't get XYZ, I listened to the people here and got a Dolphin low wing trainer.

I suggested the UCD as a second plane because there are plenty of people that show up to my field and tell me that's what I should be flying. I've seen it fly slow, with low rates and a 46 engine, and heard a few people say it was their second plane. But I guess they are the ones that said 'go ahead and get XYZ', and I guess I want to believe them. Of course I haven't seen them try to learn on these planes, nor have I seen them come down hard and need a repair. I guess anyone with years of flying experience can think a plane is incredibly easy to fly, because they forget they have such experience, and think anyone could fly it, which probably is the case here.

I'm sure there are planes that will make a good second plane that are not the normal second planes, and maybe that's what this thread is trying to find, such as the Twist - not often recommended for #2, but at least one experienced pilot, whose opinion I greatly respect, has recommended it.

It makes me think of playing guitar. I got a cheap learner's electric guitar, learned how to play Mary Had a Little Lamb, then wanted to play Stairway to Heaven. Of course you're supposed to learn to play first before you learn to wale, but the excitement of playing makes you want to skip that. Just like I didn't want to get half of the 'second planes' that came recommended - I wanted something that can rip and looks great, but we have to be patient if we want that bird and want to be able to actually do what it's capable of.