The more I think about this I think it has to do a lot with when my plane broke into two pieces. Fortunately or unfortunately my LHS proprietor helped me fix it, and wouldn't really let me try to get things perfect. Sure it looks OK, but the tail is a few degrees off to one side, and also a few degrees down. I've got it trimmed for straight and level flight, but maybe it's more noticeable as I start doing pattern maneuvers.

I agree that I need to learn how to fly the plane without 'cheating', and I intend on it. But I'm going to a competition next weekend, and I know 90% of the pilot's I'll be competing against will have these things mixed out of their planes with their radios.

I haven't met a person who's been flying for any length of time who doesn't mix bad tendencies of their plane out with their radio. The programming is in there for a reason.