Some students want the first approach, some may want the second - it's
probably 95% to 5%. If you assume they all want the more detailed
explanation for everything, you will have frustrated students who either
think that flying is too complicated for them to learn, or who quit because
they are bored.

When I took driver's ed in high school they didn't explain the inner
workings of a carburetor, nor did they need to in order for me to be able to
learn how to drive. Knowing how a carburetor works and having the ability
to tear one down and put it back together again does not make me a better
driver.

You want to know every detail - fine. You just need to find an instructor
who is willing and able to do that for you. As you know, not all of them
are nor do they need to be in order to be able to teach you to fly and fly
well. I suspect you dispute that fact, but history has already proven you
wrong.



"Le Chaud Lapin" wrote

It is the
instructor's choice to determine how deep s/he should delve into the
mechanics of flight.

One instructor might say, "Move trim wheel up or down to relieve
pressure on yoke."

Another might say, "Trim wheel is connected to a trim tab on elevator,
often located on one side of elevator only, and air moving across
elevator results in aerodynamic force vector on tab that acts on
elevator to position elevator so that point of equilibrium is reached,
and such force being sufficient that you no longer need the yoke to
position the elevator. As you can imagine, speed and orientation of
aircraft will have some effect on force...and therefore position of
elevator. Also, if only one tab, force applies asymetrically to
aircraft...etc."