Zack im a 21 year old Mechanical engineering student at RIT. I loved planes since i could say the word i think. Figured i could have taught myself but im glad i didnt. Like yourself I was off the buddy box real quick (2 days at the field with my instructor, and probably would have been sooner if the first day didnt have such a wicked cross breeze making landing instruction difficult) but i know if i hadnt gotten that little bit of help learning would have been much longer and more expensive. My friend/instructor gave my escapade a look over on the ground but wanted me to maiden it (not that he was uncomfortable, but rather wanted me to do it) and as i said between both of our ground inspections everything was in order, and it only took a few clicks of trim to get that girl perfect. Im sure the 540 is more of a handfull than the escapade, but belive me at WOT and high rates the escapade is a deamon. But I absolutly love it.

If your like me, you should be fine, not that im not a proponent of taking the safest approach. I for one know that im talented but always doubt myself thats why i wouldnt fly it without someone loooking it over. If you can tare up the sky with your trainer (lol i got my alpha 40 doing knife edges and inverted circles and snap rolls) you should be fine with any plane really. Most planes even if they are designed for high performance 3d like the 540 will still fly docile like any sport flyer at low rates and quarter throttle. Just take it slow and at your own pace. You'll know when your ready.

I was scared crapless on that escapde maiden but after two laps i couldnt resist crankin it up and now i cant seem to find a position on the throttle other than WOT with that thing lol. I love puttering down the run way 20 ft off the ground slamming full throttle pulling straight up and rocketing to 400-500 ft then dropping it into a flat spin, and i started that on my second flight with the thing. You should probably have a good feel for your abilites. dont let ego eclipse what you know your ablities to be. If your at all worried like i said have some one buddy box you the first flight. No same in that. If you get it up and realize you have no problem flying it great, but if you do have problems and your on the buddy box chances of damaging the plane are considerably less.

Really its up to you and i wish ya the best of luck. I just got into the hobby last summer after wanting to my whole life. Now I cant wait to graduate so i can have a better job than the campus cafeteria to pay for the hobby lol

Dylan