Flying head down is never necessary. The center of the finish cylinder is
almost always close to some visible marker on the airport. If it isn't, I ask
the CD to move it so it is. My software beeps when I cross the boundary of the
cylinder, does yours? Finally, I only glance at the computer once in a while to
see if I'm falling below glide slope, which I'd also be doing with a 50 foot
gate. But then again, I'm not anal about finishing at precisely 500 feet...

I don't agree. When you approach a cylinder, you are aiming at its
center. I haven't seen a computer program that optimizes the point on
the cycliner you should be aiming at given current position and
altitude and interpolates your desired finish height to that point.
Instead you are looking down as the distance clicks off, and checking
your altitude to make sure that you don't fall slightly short. As
noted in earlier threads this means more heads down and more
variations in traffic height and speed, all converging on a much
smaller area (the optimum point on the cylinder).

Finish lines are almost completely heads up. If you can't judge 50
feet looking out the window, you have problems... certainly becuase
your altimeter is showing a variation of 50 feet or more since you set
it at takeoff. Additionally, traffic speed is much closer to uniform.
Low, slow gliders land straight ahead rather than obstructing the
finish line. And I've yet to encounter a glider at my height circling
1 mile from a finish line.


91.119 Except when necessary for takeoff or landing, no person may operate an
aircraft below the following altitudes...

My high speed finish is typically the crosswind or downwind leg of my
pattern. I have, on several occasions, thermalled away from a high
speed pass (never at a contest). There you have an argument. Otherwise
I'm excercising my options as a pilot to conform to a standard
pattern... one established by contestants prior to the contest. I am
therefore within the requirements of 91.119.

Be careful when citing book and passage from the FARs. I know for a
fact that you don't follow some rules (none of us do) as scrupulously
as you are applying them in this case. I can find some gray in 91.119.
You'll be hard pressed to find any in 91.155.

Virtue: the behavior we demand of others, but excuse the lack of in
ourselves.