ORIGINAL: Villa
The point that I am trying to emphasize is that the human body ability to estimate the safe air speed of a model decreases drastically the closer the plane is to flying directly toward you. Many believe that your depth perception will help you. If you google Depth Perception you will find that it is about 17 feet. Yes, feet. When the plane is landing near to directly in front of you, left to right or right to left, you have the best view to help you estimate the safe air speed. I have stalled it into the ground HARD many times in my 39 years of flying RC, and have noticed that this usually happens when the plane is very far from me; the angle between my line if sight and the plane path is very small.
The point your making is 100% correct. Its also why I suggest people land within +/-25 feet of themselves (or as close as possible). If Im training someone, its a must.
I also suggest people to do a slow fly-by before attempting a landing to reset their depth perception of the model. When flying high or far out for several minutes Ive found that the brain tends to forget the relative size of any model and a simple fly-by lets the brain readjust. With my models that have retracts I use a 'gear check pass' to reset my depth perception.
The field we have is long enough that regardless of where the pilot is standing trainers and most sport planes don't have trouble with the +/-25 feet rule.
But when flying some of my faster birds, Ive been known to stand at the center pilot station for takeoff and then walk down to a different pilot station for landing.
Simply put I stand in the most advantageous spot as possible for takeoff and landings.
Cheers.