kirk.stant wrote:
A question: How does Winscore calculate finish altitude on a cylinder
finish? I assume it is based on the logger's pressure altitude
reading for the closest logger fix after crossing the finish line, but
how is that altitude adjusted for the local altimeter setting? Does
it compare the difference between the finish "altitude" and the
altitude recorded when the glider comes to a stop on the field?

Something like that, maybe Guy will say something, or if worse comes to
worse, there's always the source code...

What if the field has a slope, and there is a significant difference
in elevation between where the glider stops after a finish (hopefully
not because it's in a tree!) and the official altitude of the finish
point?

If you're that close, I expect most CDs would simply give a pass, it is
possible for them to override WinScore...

On a separate (but related subject), could someone please explain to
me once again how staring at an altimeter and/or doing low energy
pullups during a contest cylinder finish is safe? Or how the
sometimes smarter (from a RACING perspective) alternative of not
wasting the time climbing those extra 500 ft, instead doing an L/D max
glide to a rolling finish, stopping as soon as possible on the first
bit of airfield, is a safer alternative than just calculating a
competitive safe final glide and flying it to the finish, then flying
the pattern dictated by the conditions?

This is probably why I'll never be a real racing pilot, but the
decision-making with cylinders has always been pretty easy for me. If I
don't think I'm going to make the bottom of the cylinder at best L/D,
but have the airport made, I'd simply choose to go for a rolling finish
thus avoiding the temptation to do something stupid. Of course, since
I've always had a 1000 feet or more of cushion on final glide (or end up
landing elsewhere), I've never had to make that choice. I might be a
few seconds slower than I could be if I were cutting the margins closer,
but it makes final glide and landing much more pleasant, and it hasn't
prevented me from winning the occasional task in the local regionals...

Marc