I know you asked for alternatives... but I gotta suggest waiting for the USL. Like Kevin, I've a good size hanger of planes but the USL is the favorite flyer. Last June it roosted in a big oak tree and sheared the wing off. Very busy with work, I didn't get around to replacing it and didn't get much flying in the last half of the year and when ready to order a new one, they were discontinued and I was heartbroken.

I stripped the covering to see if repairs were possible and have recently finished repairs though they were fairly extensive, but the plane is simply worth a lot of effort. It is now ready for covering.

I'm also not a huge fan of the clear because of visibility, and for that reason have given a lot of thought to recovering. Most of the fuselage and all of the control surfaces do not need recovering so it would be far easier to stay with the clear. My decision (so far) is to modify the covering scheme only slightly in that the underside of the wing was fully clear and I'll likely bring the red from the LE back to the spars. I think the all clear under surface of the wing is the visibility problem on grey overcast days.

As to powering the USL, I agree go gasser. Mine has a Zenoah G-20ei and I love it. It provides unlimited vertical, is very easy to start, very easy to clean up and very economical on fuel. And, it balances the plane perfectly so that no weight is added.

While looking around for a replacement, I didn't see a suitable alternative though the one listed above might be... but for me it would have to be able to fit a gasser and the quad setup would have to be as effective as that on the USL because it is a hoot.

If they do offer another release... I'll buy one and store it as a back up to the one I've repaired because the plane is that important to me.