lets talk in detail how a plane lands (alights, the british say).
the usual way is to move up the elevator stick gradually until flares-off.
but when a plane gets close to the land, there is ground effect. lift increases and becomes more buoyant. also it is getting hit by turbulence, hence it becomes unstable. the tendency to tip stall is increased enormously. and also to stall-just stall.
but in recent times i have tried another way.
1st of all, due to flying at a field where there are trees nearby at the most inconvenient location, downdraft forces me to land far away from the edge of the field. also crosswind. so it is a struggle to make the plane land smooth.
due to this, i have developed another technique that helps me to do so.
1.-i make the approach a little bit high.
2.-this way i am able to push the elevator stick down a little bit. now the plane behaves way more stable. does not feel the turbulence and ground effect.
3.-so the plane touches the ground faster than when flaring-off. yes, you are sweeping the ground, but with enough practice you will reach the point where it just remains attached to it without bouncing.
4.-you have to keep pushing down the elevator stick until the plane stops; otherwise if you release it at touchdown, the plane will jump into the air-and you will stop far away and flaring-off, which is what you are trying to avoid.
this is the technique that full size airplane pilots who fly fast planes use. no flare-off nothing.
try it. you may end landing better. i do.

when you have a plane that is handlaunched, how you do it?
be power or glider, you find yourself in the position of finding the most convenient way, for safety and for comfort.
there are several ways:
1.-the most common, holding the radio with your left hand and the plane with the right hand.
2.-holding the radio with your right hand and throwing the plane with your left.
3.-if having an assistant, he launches the plane (perhaps with 2 hands) and you hold the radio with both hands.

with #1 and 2, you dont have full control of the trajectory of the plane for a few seconds, until you get back your hand to the radio. scary moments!
#3 is way better, if you are 1 of those lucky 1s that have the luxury of an assistant. here you have full control of the plane from the very moment of launch. the 1 that is recommended.
now, lets be honest, how many of you guys hold the radio without straps? from all that i see at the field and photos, it is the way.
could help if you hang the radio from your neck with a strap so you are able to do some correction sooner?
and if you use a tray, couldnt this make it easier?
still, launching with the right hand means that you have to correct the trajectory with the left hand...do you do that?
most people are right handed (90%), and use the right hand stick to do elevator and rudder or aileron. then, could you use the right hand stick with your left hand? do you? i dont think so.
perhaps if you decide to train your left hand to throw the plane, and you hold the radio with a strap and use a tray could be the best solution. this way you have absolute control of the plane from the very 1s moment.
but how many of you do this? or are willing to do it?
polite, positive messages welcome.