From the FAI perspective, the date/time of an electronic declaration is
that contained in columns 2-13 of the first C record line in the IGC
file. That date/time is determined when the declaration is first
entered into the unit, not at takeoff. If a paper declaration is made
at a later time, then it overrides the electronic declaration. It is up
to the official observer to certify that the pilot has provided a paper
declaration which is dated after the electronic declaration contained in
the IGC file.

Speaking with my GFAC hat on,
Marc

Ian Cant wrote:
Todd,
You are absolutely correct that the pilot,
not the instrument, makes the declaration. Nevertheless,
'electronic declarations' do exist and are accepted
by the FAI. And the content of a full declaration
includes the date of flight, not just the date at which
the pilot defined the task. Quoting from my Colibri
manual 'the selected task is automatically declared
after takeoff'. This declaration, even though it is
implemented by the instrument, is acceptable for FAI
purposes. So if it exists, it is the latest declaration.
Agreed, the pilot may make paper declarations after
entering the FR task but before the flight, but if
he wants to make the paper declaration valid it is
his responsibility to deselect or disable the electronic
one prior to takeoff. And since the FR data is required
to document the flight, it is hard to pretend that
any associated electronic declaration does not exist.

I guess that if someone really wanted to flex the
spirit of the rules, he could carry a sheaf of paper
declarations and have several FRs running, then decide
after takeoff which one he wanted to use today - then
the latest declaration would be the one in the pilot's
head as he started his task, or maybe what he recalled
postflight as his last pre-start intention ??

Soaring season must be winding down.