I used to fly the XL/XLS for more than 3 years. Have also been rated on ERJ145 and now on Falcon 2000EX EASy. I liked the XL/XLS! The flightdeck is a bit small and it feels by far not as nice as an airline like flightdeck like the ERJ145 or the Falcon, but you still have 3 nice screens. I never had trouble with the moving stabilizer! If you have to fight against it, you are doing something wrong. As the previous poster wrote, stay slow and clean it up at 160 KIAS. If you do not want to accelerate during this phase, just hold the yoke with one hand and move the trim wheel with the other hand to the appropriate position for after the cleanup/stabilizer movement. I you do this a couple of times, you will memorize that right amount of trim wheel movement required. Never had any trouble with it. I liked the excel, because it has LOTS of room for baggage! I once managed to stuff 15 bags into it (not too heavy, of course). It is not true that the XL/XLS is the only plane that needs additional thrust during descent. The Falcon 2000EX EASy also needs a bit of thrust to maintain 340KIAS/M0.83 during a 3 degree descent. That's why many crews descend at an angle of 4 to 5 degrees, that will be idle most of the time. Same on the XL/XLS, about 4 to 4.5 degrees will do the trick, while still giving you some tolerance to decelerate if required by ATC. On the ILS you can ride it down clean at 160 to 180 KIAS stable in idle power, no need to add flaps until late on the approach. You may have to use speedbrakes shortly to bring it down to your requested KIAS, but then it will keep it at 160 to 180 KIAS without speedbrakes. Shortfield takeoff is great! Landing takes a bit more discipline, because you have two wheels only, hence limited braking capability. If you are on speed and bring it down on the zebra, you will have no trouble on a short runway. In Cannes we could stop it half way down the runway (when it was still allowed). So, yes: the XL/XLS has a somewhat messed up tail/stabilizer. But apart from this it is a friendly aircraft for both the crews and the passengers. I'd buy one if I needed one in that sector.