Older designs certainly had a [deserved] bad reputation - especially kit built ones. Main problem being "power push over", where the prop thrust line was above C of G and so increased power would tend to "arseovertit" to a point where recovery was impossible.
Following some clever aeronautical engineering that problem has been overcome, and providing you don't try to fly aerobatics [!!] they are much safer. Often wondered why they are not used for some purpose other than [great] fun, but they can be cold [even the Calidus with doors]. However, with that little Rotax engine they are fairly economical to run - especially compared with helicopters.