I do not want to RTFM; if thats necessary
the camera is not the effortless point-and-shoot
needed for quick shots while flying.

Actually, all digital cameras require you to RTFM to produce decent
results. RTFM once, do the desired settings and *then* you can point and
shoot for the rest of your or your camera's life.

You need a camera which allows you to turn off autofocus, otherwise it
will capture the dead flies on the canopy rather than the landscape. A
"conventional" viewfinder helps in bright sunlight and is an absolute
requirement for me. As far as I know, this latter requirement narrows
your choices pretty much to Canon.