For what it's worth, as soon as I can afford it (i.e. as soon as I'm capable of laser rifle overproduction) I seem to have a similar approach as Eagle of Fire, using a tank to exit the aircraft first and to scout ahead.
I tend to prefer tanks that don't use elerium though unless I've built a significant supply of it.
To come back on the flying disks, I just remembered a few missions where 2-3 flying disks turned my soldiers into minced meat when even concentrated laser rifle fire didn't manage to destroy them. Usually because of missed shots to which the flying disks responded with 100% accurate fire
All this discussion makes me want to play the game again though I should also dig up one of the more recent competitors (UFO:AI?) and I still have 2 games of the X-Com series that I didn't try yet. Choices, choices!