Not sure I'd use a gate for MATs - for the 'hook the
gate' reason you describe. Having finishers coming
from all directions strikes me as a poor idea irrespective
of type of finish. But, in any scenario were the gate
lines up with the finish direction you'd be pulling
up right into a downwind for Runway 30. If coming
from the north you'd have to stay clear of people/vehicles
on the closed runway.

I won't belabor the point about Minden any further
as I think it should be CD discretion on how to organize
finishes based on the local environment (and out of
concern over further boring readers who don't fly there).
Certainly I didn't mean to criticize your discretion
in how you set it up as CD, just that it would be possible
without being in violation of FARs - which was the
original question on this thread. Speaking personally
I prefer the cylinder to the gate because it reduces
pilot workload (I just don't like the 500' part).

Oh, and thanks for not making it personal - a relative
rarity on ras.

9B

At 15:24 04 October 2003, Jj Sinclair wrote:
Andy has proposed that Minden place a finish line 1000
feet sout east of the
approach end of 30, that extends 3300 feet to the north
east. Let's look at a
finisher on a MAT type task that is coming in from
the north, say Dayton.The
finisher would be forced to fly right past the safety
of the airport, leaving
its runways behind, and to continue on past the end
of 30, on out another 1000
feet and then HOOK the GATE. Because he is 'Hooking
the gate', he is also
forced to be another 3300 feet to the east, in order
stay out of the gate, so
as to avoid hesd-on traffic in the gate. Some would
say, The a low finisher,
that found himself in this situation, could be allowad
to make a rolling finish
on any runway. That brings up the penalty for making
a rolling finish. It
should be substantial, because our finisher has just
cut off at least 2 miles
from the rask a similar finisher must fly.

Am I the ONLY one that sees what's happening here?
We have moved the gate way
out in the weeds (Band-Aid no.1). We have made the
finisher stay out of
opposing head-on traffic by forcing him to stay 3300
feet farther to the east
(Band-Aid no.2).We have given him a big rolling finish
penalty (Band-Aid no.
3). I think it's time to count the Band-Aids on the
Finish Line. I count 3, all
right on top of a massive wound. JJ recommends amputation.
What do you think,
Doctor?
JJ Sinclair