On Sep 14, 6:22*pm, "
wrote:
Then you are in the minority.

Probably has a high correlation with the age (and occupation) of the
pilot in question. *I'm not a youngster, but have been around hi-tech
cockpits a long time and love them. *Kids grow up with the damn things
and have no problem with them. *But some of the "more mature" aviators
out there tend to have some issues with the fancy toys....those are
the gliders I try to avoid in a crowded thermal!

I think the most dangerous time during a soaring contest is when the
CD changes the task after all the pilots have launched. *I can imagine
every pilot in the contest flying blindly with his head down, and eyes
glued to a computer as he scrolls and pokes the screen trying to enter
the new task.

On this point I absolutely agree with you - changing tasks after the
launch is incredibly dangerous! *Even with pre-announced backup tasks,
setting up some systems during the prestart milling (usually on a weak
day, otherwise why change the task?) takes a lot of heads down time in
crowded airspace. But I bet it was just as bad in the days of charts,
grease pencils, compass headings, and photo books!

Cheers,

Kirk
66

In flight task changes do seem extraordinarily dangerous.

Despite the anti-tech sentiments, this could be an application for
long range WiFi. It seems the latest incarnations of the 802.11n
standards allow ranges in excess of 5 miles.

Imagine glide computers which could be updated in flight from the
ground by the CD to enter a new task in everyone's computer
simultaneously and then automatically poll them to assure accuracy.

The pilots wouldn't have to do anything except fly the new task.