I agree a beginner does not need to go to extreme lengths setting up and trimming their trainer, 2nd plane, etc. However, this does not diminish the importance of setup and trimming and Quique’s writings as well as Peter Goldsmiths’ et. al. are suitable for beginners, if taken in perspective.

I’m sure we’ve all encountered the pilot that struggles with their flights, only to eventually discover they had been working against a poorly setup plane. It is very difficult to learn anything meaningful on a poorly performing plane. Plane setup is more than measuring control throws and trimming involves more than setting level flight at wide open throttle. A plane can only fly as good as the design, the setup and the trims, regardless of pilot.

I believe there is a benefit to a beginner pilot going thru some of the processes described by these as other writers. Just because some of the detail is geared toward giant scale IMAC ships or competition, etc. ,does not mean it doesn’t apply to your trainer or your aerobatic trainer plane, etc. Of course you must learn how to crawl before you can climb the mountain, so take the trimming/setup advice in small doses. But don’t assume it doesn’t apply to your plane, or you won’t benefit, because you don’t compete with a giant gas burner, or 2M ship, etc. I can’t recall the article details off the top of my head, but most if not all of the advice probably translates back to even the lowly trainer. Even if you just burn holes in the sky, a well behaved (i.e. setup and trimmed) plane is much more enjoyable to fly than a naughty plane.

Cheers.