When I have a new student, I don't even mention the whole "reversal" thing. I just talk from the beginning always in the frame of reference of the plane. Most of the time, the student has no problems. I tell them about the "cheats" later, if they turn out to have trouble. I think half of the problems guys have is thinking too much. They get to thinking "uhoh, it's coming towards me, now what". It doesn't take that much practice for it to become natural, and that's what you want.

I only want to add one final thought...

To EVERYONE who says "DON"T USE THAT METHOD!!!" You are wrong.

Remember, it's not YOU that is learning, it's someone else.

While YOU may find a particular method bad, someone else may find it a Godsend.

NO ONE should EVER tell someone else that theirs is the best way.

It is the best way for YOU. And it MAY be the best way for them, but then again, it may not.

Don't EVER let your PERSONAL preferences get in the way of someone else's learning curve!

WE ARE ALL DIFFERENT!!!

We are all different but there are clear cut better methods of doing things. Some of the methods may get the person flying faster but they will create a problem down the road.
Example:
You can cut lite ply with a razor blade but it is a lot better to cut it with a saw. Its a given known fact. Just as telling someone to envision them self inside the plane is not a recommended method. Picture 3 - 4 months down the road when they are coming down the field inverted and they start to play with the rudder. Now you have to imagine yourself upside down coming at yourself (in which case there is seemingly no reversal of the controls).
I also agree with the method above about just letting them figure it out for themselves for the first few times. The instructor should teach reactions to the planes attitude and then transition into making the plane react the way you tell it to. I also think that the instructor should tell the student why the plane does what it does when they move the stick a certain way.

I would like to ask another question. We have talked about the push stick method here for aelerons. Is there a method for the rudder control? I am getting close to be able to train (and did so for several scouts last weekend) and was wondering if there are some techniques that anyone uses.

If that is the case, then NO method will help. If you still need a "method" then you shouldn't be learning to use your rudder while flying inverted.

And what's wrong with cutting lite ply with a razor blade? There are times when someone may want a smoother cut than a saw can provide.

Using any "method" to help you is a crutch. So here's an analogy:

You break your leg. Now, you learn to walk again with a crutch.

Would anybody out there say "Don't use that crutch! You'll never be able to walk without one again!!"?

Of course not.

Ok, so now it's years later. You can walk fine, but one day, you twist your ankle, so to avoid falling down, you hold on to a table.

Would anybody out there slap that hand off the table and say, "Don't go back to using a CRUTCH!"?

All that I am saying is that there should never be a method that is ruled out. Personally, I can't picture myself inside the airplane, so that method doesn't work for me. But I may be teaching someone who can VERY EASILY picture themselves inside the airplane, right-side-up, up-side-down, going vertical, or whatever. There is no way in hell that I am going to say to this person "Don't picture yourself inside the plane, because that doesn't work" or "because there's a better way".

For HIM it WORKS. For someone else, something else may work better, but the bottom line is, give a student choices. Let him (or her) find the method that is right for THEM, because they are different than you (and just possibly, better).

Moving the aileron stick or rudder stick to the left will still cause the plane to turn to your right (the plane is flying at you.)

So the same "Push the wing up" method will work for rudder as well.

Averen

I agree with Minn about the techniques.

I don't push any of them if the student can "figure it out" with out it. If they show problems with the left vs right when the plane is heading towrds them, I'll suggest they try one way or another.

It just happens that when I learned, I was told "move the stick to the low wing". I don't think that way now, it's all reflex. But it takes time to develop the reflex, and if one method helps you get there, then it's fine.

When you're talking about how people learn, more than when cutting wood or doing anything physical, differnet people really do learn very differently. Heck, take a look at the mess in the educational fields as people fight over the "best" way to teach johnny to read and do math.

I see what your saying but I still think there are methods that are better than others. I think I will ask some of the top dawgs which method they learned under and which one would they teach.

I agree with the "use the method that works best for you" statement. I recall when I started out (about 7 years ago) having difficulty with the "push the stick to the low wing" technique on landing approaches, because once the plane crossed in front of me I had to switch over on the aileron controls. It drove me nuts for a while. I changed to the "look over the shoulder" technique for landings and that worked better. I still use the over the shoulder deal on occasion when landing in a cross wind, where I'm using opposite rudder and aileron. I probably don't have to but it just feels right

Peter

Taxing the plane with out no wing on(figure 8S) it is good for ruder
control cause steering is in direct relationship with ruder.

I use the low wing method to keep the plane level when teaching.
Newbies seem to catch on pretty quick this away. I was taught this
away and inturn thats the way i teach.(Makes sense to me) LOL

I was taught to point the stick at the low wing. Another thing that helped, was to pivot one of my feet in the direction I was flying. If the plane was coming toward me from right to left, I would pivot my left foot to the left. I guess it gave me a reference point for where I'm trying to go. It represented the plane moving away from me - which is easier to control. As I got better at flying, I noticed I used these methods less and less. It got to where I only pivoted my foot occasionally during landings. And eventually I quit doing that.

To each his own.

MinnFlyer offers words of wisdom. The whole point of this original post is to offer suggestions to the learning pilot. Who's to say what's best for a particular individual? Best thing is to listen to all suggestions...then follow the ones that are best for you and your mindset. After all...don't we all ultimately want to envision ourselves as a little pilot inside that plane flying the Hell out of it??

MinnFlyer offers words of wisdom. No single technique is best for a particular individual with particular skills or mindsets. Best to read all suggestions and try those that work best for you. And...lots of practice. Isn't the ultimate goal of this hobby to envision yourself as a little pilot inside that plane flying the Hell out of it??

I apologize that you received a multiple response from me to your single question. Ever since they revamped this website, about 50% of the time I get a failure of post delivery message. That sometimes is true..sometimes not. I have a supreme computer system and have no other issues with any other websites. The RC Universe response to this issue is related to AOL problems and popup blocker controls. I don't buy that. Again .....sorry ....happy flying.

also, the notify me by email thing you have to check eve4ry time. it is really annoying