At 00:30 17 March 2005, Toad wrote:

My point is that moving that poor judgement UP 500-1000
ft DOES help
solve problems.

Todd

My experience is it introduces about as many as it
solves: mixed traffic between the cylinder edge and
the airport, re-sequencing of traffic from finish to
pattern entry, potential for low altitude thermalling
to make the 500 (or 1000) foot limit, ballistic pullups
below stall speed for the same reason, mixed finish
techniques leading to conflicts (pull-up or press on).
That's just the ones that have happened so far. Of
course none whould have happened had the pilots involved
exercised better judgement.

On the proximity issue, keep in mind that a low energy
finish on a 500' cylinder will have you less than 500'
from whatever you're flying over prior to entering
the landing pattern and therefore at least as much
in violation of any relevant FARs as a gate finisher.
My view after reading the regs is they both are legal.

Of course we cold solve all of this AND address the
15-minute rule if we just made the rules read that
you have to finish no lower than you start. Now THAT
would spice things up.

9B