I've taken to calling the slow-speed level, in to the wind type of hovering "kiting". Ie, fly it like a kite. I don't think I came up with that on my own, but I don't recall where, if anywhere, I heard it before. But it does make it easier to talk about.
got beat up once by the school bully for telling him he was wrong about the contrails being engine exhaust.
that's funny, I had the same thing happen (didn't go to violence though). The clueless kid was convinced that if was water vapor like a cloud then it would rain in lines. Duh. I do think half the world thinks it's "smoke".