And I can do the same by opening an approved FR and
fiddling
with the GPS streams from the engine, and I can do
that at
home without an OO watching and get a world record.



agreed, but hacking a box you potentially know nothing
about by opening it up is a far less tempting possibility
than fiddling with the internal workings of an OTS
device via a direct connection from the comfort of
your pc. The idea of breaking a logger with a screwdriver
doesn't appeal to many people ;-)

Who is to say the OO isn't in cahoots with the pilot
and
supplied fake photos and baro trace? My wife was OO
for all
my badges up to the 1000K. Come on! These are badges,
not
records. If you really care, require the OO to supply
the
download computer, not the pilot, but I think it would
be a
needless waste (as opposed to needed waste?).

To be honest, I personally don't really give a monkeys
if someone fakes a badge claim, it's rather sad. But
at many clubs Silver and other badges are actual flying
requirements, the higher the flying requirements, the
lower the insurance.


They have a simple internal switch, and an OTS GPS
engine
supplying data to the processor.

which is sealed into some package that makes it more
secure than a simple OTS system. Not perfect mind
you, but better.


I just don't believe insurance premiums are based on
the
security level of our FAI badge system. Sorry. Even
if it
was, I don't think COTS proposals lower it in any way.

What matters is the confidence these people have in
the system. If we are seen to lower the standard of
proof, most insurance people are not glider pilots,
and will likely assume some drop in standards (a blatantly
false assumption, but it wouldn't be illogical for
them to assume...). To some non gliding insurance
monkey, a little sealed box going blip (technical term...honest
;-) ), is far more reasuring than some gps you could
buy in some outdoor store.


So, IMHO, having an OO watch each flight and d/l a
COTS
trace is more secure than having a pilot magically
produce
his trace from a FR that he's had in his possession
and
control for the last 6 months.

in that particular case yes, but thats an OO procedural
matter, not anything to do with the logging method
used. I really have no issues with the OO system (my
reference to it was soley in reply to what whoever
has the handle 'Papa3'). Just download at the end
of the flight... simple (I hope!).

OTS loggers are a great idea for most people, cheap,
'reasonably' secure, most people are honest and unless
it's a world record or a comp I couldn't give a rats
ass if traces are faked. All I'm concerned about is
how this appears to insurance people... Imagine you
are a non gliderpilot insurance bod, how to you rate
a pilot you've never met or flown with? By hours, badges
and ratings (e.g. instructor ratings), do anything
that undermines their confidence in any element of
that set and you are liable to shoot yourself in the
foot...

Anyways, enough ramblings, go fly! :-P

cheers

Jamie