haha, sounds just like the kit building experience he was looking for! great to hear input from someone who flew (ie OWNED) both. focus looks more sporty in the air but that's a pretty objective statement, though you seem to be backing that thought.
Building, or perhaps re-engineering.[
] I think I've still got a dent in my forehead from banging the wall.
Well, I must have gotten over it (or maybe I'm a glutton for punishment) because soon I will be assembling a Focus II with the Syssa 30cc gasser and ES pipe.
None of this is to say that the Venus II is by any means a crappy plane. Far from it; I had several hundred flights on it and learned many new skills such as slow rolls, clean stall turns, knife edge, and so forth... and it was very low maintenance, because of the robust design that you mentioned earlier.