Richards method has its merits, however I believe the student should be well versed in basic turns climbs and descents well before attempting a landing. During the time your training him or her the basics your also teaching him/her the safety aspect of model airplane flying. Heck any fool can go out buy a model and bore holes in the sky, but to be a good model pilot and practice safety requires a lot of common since and practice on the part of the student.

I teach:

Stage 1

Basic turns - first left then right

The lesson is complete when the turns both directions are level and coordinated with the use of the RUDDER.

Figure 8's

This is done over and over again until the student can fly some what of a figure eight and not get confused which direction the model is heading and what is right and what is left.

The lesson is complete when the student can make a decent figure 8 whit both circles being pretty much equal, no loss or gain in altitude, and they don't turn the wrong direction when the plane is coming toward them.

Turns about a point

I place a flag at each end of the runway on the opposite side and then on a center line perpendicular to the center of the runway. We're generally flying from the center but you can fly at a different position if you want. The object it to fly around the flag at the end of the runway and then out from the field to the center flag and then turn back to the flag at the opposite end.

Lesson complete when the student can make coordinated turns at each end and flys the model straight and level holding heading (Rudder) with out gain or loss of altitude.

Stage 1 Complete Sign off on there log ( you do log them right)

During this period of instruction you should be talking to the student emphasizing safety, we all know not to fly over the pits, never land when someone is "On The Field" and keep you finger away from the prop. I usually don't let the student start the model until the third or forth lesson. After that I've explained the safety aspect and from then on they are expected to range check, fuel, and start the engine. I'll carry the transmitters and they can carry the model to the runway.

Stage 2

Stage two is preparation for takeoff, it also introduces the student to out of trim flight so they fly the airplane instead of flying the transmitter sticks.

Basic Taxi

Yep! you read that right. On a day with not much activity, take the wing off the model and let them run it up and down the runway. Stress control and not high speed. Every weekend I see someone flip over or run into the fence because they don't know how to taxi safely.

The lesson is complete when the student can taxi up and down the runway without hitting anything or anyone for that matter.

My Trim lesson. DO THIS THREE TO FOUR MISTAKES HIGH - BUDDY BOX REQUIRED

Talk to your student before the flight and let them know what you expect. Tell them to close there eyes and bring there right thumb down off the stick and feel for the trim lever and to memorize the position and feel. Now take off and with you flying the model push there buddy box rudder trim all the way to the right and then let them open there eyes and fly the model. Stress flying the model by what they are seeing and feeling in the stick. Have them make a 360 left and then right when completed have them with out looking re set the trim to straighten the rudder. Next, left rudder trim and again stress flying the model not the stick. When satisfied they can turn left and right have them re trim. Now the harder part of the lesson, have them close there eyes and then move the elevator trim to the full up position and do the same thing open eyes and fly a left and right 360 then have them re trim with there left hand or throttle hand while flying the model. Finally, down trim and the same thing.

At this point your student will be sweeting blood and reay to kill you so take the plane and land. This should be the last lesson of the day for him/her as it is very stressful for a novice flier let alone the stress it will place on you the instructor.

The lesson is complete when the student can re trim the model without looking at the trim tabs.

Takeoff's

The big day has finally arrived

Everyone thinks taking off is simple, right.

To do it right is a different story. By now your student should have mastered straight and level flight, basic turns, climbing and descending turns.

Start by explaining that torque and if a tail wheel model P-Factor will effect the model making it pull one direction when power is applied. Next explain the takeoff procedure, advance the throttle enough to make the model roll and then smoothly ad vance the throttle to full power. No more than 2 corrections, if more start over By this time the model is clipping along a a fairly good rate so apply BACK PRESSURE until the nose is at a climb attitude. It will probably leap off the ground and you want them to hold just enough elevator to maintain a steady climb. The model will have acquired a lot of "Zoom Speed" and will continue to around 100' where you have them turn out of the pattern and then proceed to demonstrate stalls both strat a head and in a turn. Next you as the instructor should land then have the student taxi back to take off position. Have the takeoff again and repeat until the student is comfortable with what there doing.

Lesson is complete when the student can takeoff and maintain runway heading until at a safe altitude where a turn can be safely accomplished.

Stage 2 complete.

Note that on windy days you should be reinforcing all of the above and on each and every flight stress the importance of safety.

Stage 3&4

This is prelude to landing and then finally landing

Stage 3 is basically controlled slow flight and leads to the final stage 4 landing. We all have our basic ways of doing this and there really isn't enough room for me to explain in this post as it is long winded already. Just make sure your student is ready to land by instructing them in slow flight first.

Finally, I do teach this way professionally for gain and also for free at my club field, my way of giving back to the R'C community. Several years ago we found that we were getting a lot of student at just our club so we made up a syllabus and have adjusted it to fit the needs of our students