ORIGINAL: MajorTomski
I've been teaching from a KISS principle for the last 15 or so years.
The principle is virtually NO ONE who wants to learn to fly an RC plane wants to or NEEDS to learn ANY aerodynamics theory. I teach the simple mechanics of how to get the plane safely in the air and back down again in one piece. If they want to talk aerodynamics and phyics they can go learn that on their own...LATER.
Then you INSTRUCT - Not Teach - them to be AIRPLANE DRIVERS and NOT PILOTS! Unfortunately IMO you teach how to crash and how to be a safety detriment on the flight line. In 41 years of professional aviation, I met a lot of "airplane drivers" trying to simulate being a PILOT. Thankfully PILOTS outnumber airplane drivers by 10:1, yet the FAA is now worried that the balance is changing. It certainly has on the RC flight lines. There are many "drivers" that can stear the airplane around really well, yet in an emergency situation they usually stall out and crash.
No person steering any airplane over, with, and around other people can know too much about "Applied Aerodynamics".
My proof; I once taught a B-727 captain to fly RC in 15 minutes. He solo'd on his second flight.
That is NO PROOF at all other than the guy has a background in aviation and already knows
Pitch, Power, and Bank.
I spent 13 years in USAF. and was flying a UAL 727 when I started RC. I BUILT my model a Mufti, German Kit much like a Sweet Stick, and went out to prove I could Fly it. Heck, I had been supersonic both straight up and straight down, plus many years of modeling in competitive CL and FF, so certainly I could manage this toy.
WRONG After I got it rebuilt I went and got a couple flights with help (NO BUDDY BOXES THEN) and off on solo but I recognized my problems and had helpers for some time before I considered myself to ba a SAFE RC Pilot.
I instructed an ex-Carrier Navy pilot, then a Continental Captain and he had problems with landings although air-time was almost instant. We discussed the "applied aerodynamics" of his carrier landings relative to how he landed a 737 and in one flight he mastered grease jobs. Knowledge is a great help when properly used.
I teach almost exclusively on the Kadet LT 40 with ailerons and through a buddy box.
Flying a Kadet LT 40 is a long way from being a Proficient and SAFE RC Pilot.Just watch all the Warbird airplane drivers that crash time after time. They use the supplier's CG at 33% MAC rather than the SAFE 25% and they have no concept of how raising the ailerons 3-5 degrees can prevent those proverbial snap rolls on take-off. Yep applied aerodynamics just don't apply to those that cannot (will not) understand the simple things.
T-29, T-37, T-33, T-38, C-123, B-47, B-737, B-727, DC-8, DC-10, Lear 23, et al.