Although illegal for the moment, sooner or later the widely available, highly affordable technologies of the day will likely be allowed in contests. I know this might bother some, but so what. Its just a matter of time.

In terms of mobile based weather data, almost everyone has it in their pockets now nobody uses it unless a danger exists. Cost is negligible. 90% of pilots walking around the Sr's today have smart phones with data plans in their pockets. Weather is a perfect example of a technology that will likely be available to contest pilots eventually. There are some great free aviation mobile nav/weather apps for private pilots, etc. Radar, metars, surface charts, etc. What is the big deal?

Question: How many pilots (not in contests) bother to mess with mobile weather information on a fun flight, task or OLC flight? How many try to exploit this information to fly faster? How many are successful? Answer: very, very few... Reason: because most of the time accessing weather info via a smartphone makes zero difference to flight performance and is a complete waste of time (as it would be in a contest).

Does anyone have scenario's that they think would be a contest advantage for a contest pilot using mobile based weather? Please explain in detail.

AWOS is available via our radio's, so getting metars on the phone would be "neat" but also pretty pointless. AWOS is instant, metars can be almost an hour old. Flight service could be easily contacted in flight for detailed weather reports customized for our route of flight. By this means a clear picture of weather radar and atmospheric conditions, etc can be accessed today very easily in a contest (I reserve the right to claim innocence if that is somehow a rule and calling flight service in a contest is illegal). Now that I think of it...calling flight service will probably will be illegal shortly after this post arrives.

So why not just let pilots access mobile based weather if they chose via their mobile phones? Is it really that important to fight this off and call it illegal? Its just a basic technology we all possess.

Safety is one aspect that I would again argue for allowing weather to be accessed on the mobile phone. Radar: "Look there, thunderstorm is building near the next turn-point..." METAR: Towering cumulonimbus approaching, etc. Often the gliders are well out of radio contact with CD's, etc. If the pilots suspects a problem, it would be sensible to allow them to access the best information available.

The argument that people are unable or unwilling to learn how to use new technology is not one that I respond too. Give me a break. If you can send a text message you can use these apps. And the apps are not granular enough to be of any contest value other than safety and convenience. I just dont see any likely situation that will allow a pilot to "cheat" if everyone had it. But I look forward to other providing scenario's in which they think mobile weather in contests would be a game changer.

My two cents...

On Sunday, March 11, 2012 5:51:13 PM UTC-4, wrote:
Looking at old contest data for the possibility of cloud flying is pretty meaningless. Old AH equipment was pretty obvious. However, we all can be busted for not maintaining proper VFR clearances. I really enjoy climbing up the face of a big cu and this has happened at various times waiting for a start. I certainly wouldn’t waste my time during a contest flight on course climbing in those marginal lift conditions. I think that virtually all of the “suspicious data” will be VFR clearance issues or wave conditions..

As a contest pilot, my much bigger concern is the availability of real time (or almost real time) weather information through the use of smart phones in the cockpit. To see and monitor the advancement of a weather front or cirrus deck over a task area is a MUCH larger issue than someone gaining a couple of thousand feet (probably slowly) in clouds. The person cheating with updated weather reports has a much better probability of making better course decisions than the person that doesn’t have that information and, therefore, will have faster times. Will back seaters can finally earn their way? ) I know that folk’s smart phones are a hot button, but in my opinion, we should have a bigger uproar over this issue than AH’s in the cockpit.