"Todd Pattist" wrote in message
...
"Michael McNulty" wrote:

I've heard several people claim that "getting back 15 minutes after
minimun
time" is the new secret strategy to deal with the 15 minute time
addition.
I don't understand why anyone would think that this is better than
finishing
at any other value over minimum time. Could someone who believes that
this
stragegy has a rational basis please explain it here?

I'd suggest you start a new thread on the 15 minute rule if
you want a long answer. Although both the 500 ft rule and
the 15 min. rule come from John Cochrane, they are vastly
different. The 15 min. rule has clear consequences and
mathematical certainty. Without the 15 min. rule, a slower
pilot can beat a faster pilot by accurately flying exactly
minimum time on course. The effects on pilot scores of the
two alternative rules are known with certainty. Those who
are against the new 15 min. rule typically are willing to
let the slower pilot win in order to have simpler rules, or
because they think that predicting arrival time at the
finish should be worth some points.

IMHO, the 500' rule is different because we don't *really*
know the effect on safety. Some think it makes things
safer, some don't, but no one can really prove either
position. That's life - we live with uncertainty. Pilots
will have to make up their own mind and vote their
conscience

The short answer to your question, however, is that you
don't want to arrive home before MT, so 15 minutes is a
reasonable guarantee that you won't undershoot MT, and you
don't want to take too much risk of landing out or having
the day die, so you don't want to fly too long. Other than
that, I see no real advantage to "15 minutes" after MT as
the goal. If the day is getting stronger, you'd want to fly
longer. If it's getting weaker, you'd want to fly shorter.
If you have a great speed because you hit some superb
thermals perfectly, you'd probably be better off locking it
in and heading home, provided you don't get home before MT.

Todd Pattist - "WH" Ventus C
(Remove DONTSPAMME from address to email reply.)

You don't "want to arrive home before MT" either with or without the 15
minute scoring rule.