My two cents would be to avoid the Avanti like the plague, but thats just my opinion. I could be wrong.....
I don't know if it's the in line configuration or some other aerodynamic quirk about the design, but both of my Avantis (The Tom Dixon plans for the Avanti 50 and Avanti 60) had handling and trim issues that contributed greately to their major crashes that left both planes obliterated.
It might be noteworthy to consider that Baron won the Nats with a Patternmaster, not an Avanti.
For exhaustive information on the Avanti, check out the "Stabs and the Avanti for Ted" thread in the stunt design section.