Disclaimer: I sell Turbines, Flite, and Contras (plus some others)...
For the sake of clarity, I think it should be noted that the Turbine has 3 struts and 2 MICRO struts. The micro struts are not much bigger than the hose on your pump. These got added in a few years ago to take the place of the 3 little fiberglass battens that went on the left and right side of the Turbine's trailing edge. It helped prevent fluttering when really cranking the hell out of the kite in hard turns. So calling it a 5 strut kite (like a Switchblade) is just not really the whole picture.
The Flites are pretty awesome kites and really changed our light wind riding here. I would still say that the Flite is the most responsive (fast turning for those that like that term better) of any of the big kites out there. And the bar pressure is very light. It's still my personal favorite and I own both a 17 and 12.
I think whether you go with a Contra 17, Flite 17, or Turbine 17, you really can't go wrong. They each have their traits that make them a little different and may appeal to one over another. One thing I will say about the Turbine is, if there's enough wind for the kite to fly, it will relaunch. As an instructor, I spend a bunch of time flying kites when I wouldn't otherwise be interested in going out. The 19 Contra is just a BEAST when it comes to light wind riding. I can't say that it gets me going SOONER than say a 17 Turbine or 17 Flite, but I can start jumping and such a couple of mph sooner. Food for thought.
SENDIT!