You make some very good and succinct points, G-EMMA (Gemma, Emma?). To be honest I don't feel as though it's in my capacity to sufficiently debate either side of this one; Your points are entirely valid, but I also feel that there is a case to be made in purely logical terms for CFD and other associated numerical analyses being viewed as an extension to an understanding of lift generation.
Anyway, more pressingly, this all came to a head from a desire to find a theory of lift which could be related to PPL's. Personally, when I take friends flying, I prefer to relate the theory espoused by our
military brethren.
When I advance the throttle and the engine begins to roar, lift pixies are attracted to the noise and flock to the wings. They stick on and up we soar;
Of course we can't pull the nose up too high, or manoeuvre too aggressively, lest they fall off.
And on landing, a touch of the spoilers to give them a gentle nudge off and let us return to the ground;
