My instructor started me out flying a left hand pattern. He did the takeoffs and landings. My task was to learn to make four left turns without gaining or losing a lot of altitude in the turns, and to fly the straight legs straight and level. That is harder than it sounds when you've never flown a model plane before.

Once I could do the left pattern, we switched it to a right pattern. That seemed impossible at first, and is still not as easy for me as a left pattern. We also did figure eights. Aileron rolls and loops were added after a few flights. I think he added these to make it more interesting for me; plus it puts the plane in different attitudes.

Takeoffs came next. Then landings. I think student landings are the most dangerous (to the plane) maneuver. Eventually you are at the point that you are too "low and slow" for the instructor to recover if you make a mistake. Luckily these crashes usually do not do a lot of damage.