(JJ Sinclair) wrote in message ...
Good letter Soarin,
You clearly understand the motorglider issues. I would suggest one change to
your position, though.

If you want to compete with non motored gliders in
competition, at a minimum you should.

Launch by aerotow
relight by aerotow
be scored to the last turn completed if motor is used
land at the airport to get that airports bonus points

If the penalty for using the engine, is to be landed at the last achieved turn
point, then nothing has changed, except the MG can't claim a constructive
land-out. At the start of a marginal glide, the MG might be thinking; "Might as
well give it a try, I'm only going to lose 20 miles or so, if I don't find lift
and start up my engine."

Under my proposal, the MG would face the exact SAME decision that un-powered
sailplane pilots must make. i.e, "If I start this shaky glide, I may be forced
to land in a field, or worse." He would be in the same situation that the rest
of us are facing, " I may try a shaky glide, but if I don't find something, I
MUST land to get my distance points. I can land at a designated airfield and
get distance points + 25 bonus points OR I can start this shaky glide, but if
it doesn't work, I will have to find a place to land. If I crank up the
Put-Put, I will get ZERO points for all my work today."
The penalty for engine use could be a percentage of the daily winners score,
say 30%, but I think it must be substantial, or taking a chance and pulling it
off, with the engine as a back-up will continue to be an attractive option in
the minds of some MG pilots.

JJ Sinclair


I flew 15M one year. One day had a very marginal third leg on an AST.
Most of the non-MGs made it in - barely. I didn't stand a chance given
my high wing loading and very scratchy, weak thermals on that leg and
ended up landing at the last TP. I believe this more realistically
represents the situation faced by most MGs (the turbos would have a
much smaller disadvantage). Of course, you don't care when the MGs
have the disadvantage.

I believe what you are proposing is, to paraphrase, "trying to kill a
gnat with a sledge hammer". Furthermore, CDs can set additional safety
rules for situations such as the one you keep reciting, i.e. no
restarts in a particular zone of unlandable terrain.

I agree that on self launching MGs should shut down in a designated
release area and not be permitted to sniff for thermals. That said,
trying to shut down and retract an engine while centering a marginal
thermal is next to impossible. The sink rate with the engine out and
shut down, while in a 45 degree bank, goes thru the roof! I find it
easier to go thru the cool down, retract process while on a glide to a
gaggle of gliders.

Tom Seim
DG-400
Richland, WA