One last thought...

I bought my first Glider before I was cleared solo, and wanted to fly it as soon as possible as well. Once I was cleared solo, I moved from the club 2-33 to the club 1-26. Both Schweitzers, not quite the same flight characteristics. But didn't need a crow hop to go fly the 1-26.

I asked my instructor for a check out in my Pilatus--never flew one, neither had most of the instuctors... But I found a club member who had, and we went over things while my instructor listened. I then got checked out in a Blanik L23 for practice with a tail dragger, and then my instructor let me try the Pilatus well before my check ride.

Did a full tow to 3k--just like I did for the first 1-26 flight. Good thing, because I found the Pilatus to be more "pitchy" than the previous gliders I'd flown. I practiced multiple manuevers at altitude before coming in for an approach and landing the same way I had in every other glider sortie, no issues. Had I tried a crow hop and pulled the spoilers out after release it would have been ugly---I would have been too abrupt, and the Pilatus does not have symmetric airbrakes like the Schweitzers or the Blanik, and with abrupt air brake movement you get pitch changes.

My point is this, If your instructor feels you are good enough to safely fly solo in single ship aircraft--which you will do and be cleared for the club ship as you mentioned--why would you try something different with your own plane?? Why would you risk finding something out about it doing something new in gliders?

It seems to me, as most have mentioned, it is best to go on a long tow to altitude, practice turns, stalls, airbrake extension and retraction, all the std stuff, then fly a normal, conservative pattern and come in and land. Your ship isn't unflown before, doesn't need testing before you should feel confident to fly it, so why not just fly it? Sit in it and play with everything, get comfortable putting it together and taking it apart, play with all the controls, then get a cockpit check from your instructor after both of you listen to anyone who's flown it before, and just go fly.

Cheers,
Squeak