Sounds like it will be a great saw for his needs.Don't think he'll be doing much flush cutting. I haven't seen his property yet but he told me mostly softwood and up to ~20" dbh beech on the property. He's working on his ecology doctorate in Ann Arbor so I gotta believe he knows his trees. I have the makings of a couple 56-59cc husqereds but I just about had these given to me and I don't build many Stihls so I figured why not? Someone once told me Stihls are for selling, hopefully they're for gifting too.
I'm not sure who would say something like that.
Friends don't give friends stihls .