Hi Pat,

I am going to take a stab at this - I am instructing a student now who wants to push the sticks to the stops.

With him I keep telling him that with a well trimmed plane, you really only need to make a turn once in a while to fly a neat lap around the field - and then the turns are to be gentle.

I look at video games as often being digital driven - the game is looking for a response (on - off), not a degree of response (analog) like what RC flying is about.

For example, you can move the aileron stick from center to full stop and have a travel of maybe 7/8 inch.This movement is going to translate to a wing movement from level flight to 90 degree bank (and if you continue to hold it on, to a complete roll).

Flying then becomes a case of moving the stick no more than is needed for the maneuver you are doing - up to full movement for some aerobatic/3-D maneuvers to very gentle movements for setting up a landing.

One way to learn the throw needed is to get a simulator - check threads in RCUniverse - there is even freeware available. I have seen students use this to their advantage. Even with this, it is a case of practice, practice and then more practice.

As for holding the Tx and finger position - this is going to be what is most comfortable to you. I seem to be one of the few dinosaurs left who doesn't use a neck strap or tray for the Tx and who just uses thumbs on the top of the sticks, rather than holding the stick between thumb and forefinger. It is that this is a case of how I learned and what I feel most comfortable with.

Hope that this helps,