Fisher, it's really great to read of success stories like yours. Among other things your experience is a living demonstration of the power of perseverance.
It really is fun to discover the truth by direct experience as you have done, especially when we find that the "experts" (?) aren't nearly as smart as they think they are. My experience is similar to yours. I found that reducing rather than increasing the weight of my planes was far better for flying in the wind because of the critical value of enjoying an adequate power to weight ratio.
Like your son I also found that aileron power can't be beat, especially in turbulent wind conditions. The included url brings up some of my windy weather adventures.
http://www.rcuniverse.com/forum/m_6340729/tm.htm
Your approach in helping kids enjoy physics is priceless. I hope you will not allow anyone who has become a legend in their own mind to discourage you.
I can appreciate your attitude about the AMA. In my case I feel a certain debt of gratitude for past performance of the AMA as well as hope for its possible future value. At the moment modeling tends to be an irrelevant esoteric end in itself. This trend will change, of course, once vested interests fully realize that there is money in being on the winning side of the culture war. Nothing can open closed minds like the glitter of a little GOLD!
madwebtvscientist [sm=lol.gif][sm=cry_smile.gif]
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The key to victory for modeling is cultural relevancy. Esoteric, "better felt than told modeling" is obsolete, truth is triumphing - there is no escape.