I think if you have a 'zero penalty' band pilots will
tend to use it. I can't figure the difference between
and 700' finish with a 200' band and a 500' finish.

Andy,

My point is that the current system encourages you (the racing pilot)
to shave the 500' limit as close as you can, but at the risk of losing
a lot if you miscalculate - or opt for a low altitude dash to a rushed
landing to minimize your losses. Plus it encourages expensive gadgets/
software (as I now realize that my SN10 will show the info I need, for
example - priced one lately?) and clock watching at the finish.

Providing an "altitude-neutral" band to finish in should remove the
incentive to aim for the bottom, since there would no longer be a
benefit to be gained, while the risk of losing a lot would be a strong
incentive to aim for the top of the finish band. The band should be
big enough to hit easily with a properly set regular altimeter (I
think 200' would work) without being so big the adjustment for
altitude becomes "gameable".

Heck, how about adding one second for every 2 feet below the top -
that works out to a 1.2 knot final climb - which wouldn't hurt you
much if you were 20 ft low, but would still encourage not finishing
199 ft low (who wants to give away time, after all).

The addition of "no racing after the finish" (i.e. if below the
bottom, the "hard deck" in fighter speak, you get your finish and
penalty right there and can forget about a straight in finish and
concentrate on making a safe low altitude landing) would additionally
discourage high risk finishes.

I know, I know, enough whining, this is pretty much beat to death -
time to start bashing 2-33s again...

Cheers,

Kirk