wHAT DO YOU GUYS THINK-- GOODIDEA, BAD IDEA...?

The only reason I ask is because I am trying to get the stuff that will allow me to grow into a second plane without needing to buy another engine too.

I have a futaba 6xas for a radio, I was thinking avistar for plane with tt.61 pro for engine--any info would be appreciated.Would I also be correct in assuming that i needto reinforce the plane for the larger engine.....anyone else runninf a set-up like this?

It would work. I don't think any additional support would be required. It would be better if you looked into a 60 size trainer to begin with, Easier to see, easier to fly, easier to learn. The difference in cost isn't really very much if you are already investing in the 60.

If you go the Avistar route, remember not to use all the throttle available. Yea, right.

Look into the Hobbico Hobbistar. Very similar to the Avistar, but in a .60 size.

http://www.hobbico.com/airplanes/hcaa2125.html

A .61 on the Avistar is a bad idea.

If yuo want 3D performance... get a plane designed for it.

As an owner of an Avistar, I think I would have to advise against this. I upgraded mine from the 40LA to the 46FX, and that was more than enough to begin pulling things apart. I had to glass the main wing joint, and where the bolts from the vertical stab go through the horizontal to hold it in place, the holes began to enlarge from the additional stress, allowing the horizontal stab to move around. I wound up having to strip some covering, and epoxying the stabs into place. It's a good thing I pre-flight before every flight, not just at the beginning of the day. Being an ARF, I reinforced the firewall right from the start anyway, but a .61 on here.......not me.

BTW, as a side anecdote, a guy at the field recently attempted the .61 on the .40 high wing trainer idea, stating that he reinforced the firewall. He was flying along, pulled up into a climb, gave it some power....and POP...off came the firewall and engine, still connected by the throttle cable and fuel line. You can guess the result.