First question: w/ my apprentice, I got the Spektrum DX5 controller and have no problems with it. Will this work with slightly more advanced aircraft? Eventually I will buy the DX7, but I want to continue to use the 5 now.

Second: What can you reccommend for a second plane? I can roll, loop, fly inverted, dead-stick land all day long, and basically do anything with this Apprentice (but fly in any wind over 15mph). I would like a plane that can begin to do some aerobatics (nothing too crazy) such as tail slides and maybe prop hangs (at 100 feet in the air, not at eye level), butI don't want sometime that is super sensitive that I total while taking off. Also, I would like a plane that takes little time to build, uses my 3200mah 3s battery and my DX5 controller.AndI amvery partial to E-Flite, as theApprentice is a really great plane with replacement parts everywhere. I cant say ONE bad thing about that plane!
I would prefer foam if possible, as the plane after this one (my next-next plane) is going to be an Edge 540...but foam isn't a deal breaker. Also, flight time is important to me, as everyone else. Oh yeah, I fly outsideONLY at a makeshift airfield, so space is good and asphalt runways (very long) are available. Soon i will be joining a local club. Thanks in advance for your help!
-Clayton</p>

Clayton,

You may want to consider E-flite's Ultra Stick 25e.
It is very easy to put together, flies greatand can performaerobatics, although it is not a 3D plane.
I fly mine with an Eflite Power 25 motor and a 3S 4400 mah pack. If I want to go "wild" with it, a fly it with a 4S 2650 mah pack.

Thanks for the input! Will it fly on the 3S 3200 battery that I have now?

If your 3S 3200mAh batt pack has a high enough current rating for the 25e setup, you can use it. You'll just have shorter fight times than with the 4400mAh pack. If you have several 3S 3200mAh packs, you can buy or make a parallel adapter that will let you run two of your 3S 3200mAh packs in parallel, effectively making a 3S2P 6400mAh pack. That will also double your current rating compared to a single 3S 3200mAh pack.

I was about your level and bought a Multiplex Acromaster.

InitiallyI set it up on docile rates until Igot used to it and gradually progressed to full rates and flying all 3 D with it over time. It'll take the batteries you currenly have but just generally as you go more 3D you want any plane to be as light as possible and you may find later on you want something closer to the 2500 level but that's probably a few months off.
If you're about to make the step up as well do get insome Simulator flying with much more responsive planes like Extra's and Edge's as it'll masiively help to prepare you for the jump up !!!!

The plane is made out of a very durable foam which is easy to repair, it wasn't until my 5th serious crash and hundreds of flights that I finally killed my 1st one and went straight out and bought a replacement which I've clean snappedthe nose off and just glued itback on and has had severel inverted landings practising inverted harriers sincejust off the deck and is still going strong !!!

Yes, it will fly with the 3200 mah battery.
I even fly mine with a 2200 mah battery when that's the only thing charged up at the time.
I can get up toabout 12 minutes with the 4400 mah, about 1/2 full throttle. I fly more moderately with the 2200 mah pack and get a little over 6 minutes with it.