The performance gain from extra wingspan is convenient. Is it justifiable to keep records by wingspan? Let's go full on and have one open open class for records. $ame as a motor. No money excuses. Buy the widest, newest glider if you want a record.
On Friday, March 17, 2017 at 1:23:47 PM UTC-4, jfitch wrote:
On Friday, March 17, 2017 at 9:11:19 AM UTC-7, wrote:
Performance is increased by convenience. Let's flip this round why are motor-packers against separate records?

I've already said I'm all for it - as long as all other conveniences similarly have their own category.

Do you own a trailer for your glider? That is a great (and expensive) convenience when flying cross country with the possibility of a landout. It makes your mindset entirely different and changes the way you fly. We need a separate record category for those with trailers.

Do carry hull insurance? That is expensive, but brings piece of mind in case of a landout, and changes your mindset, allowing you to take more risk and go further. Separate record category for insurance.

Do you have a radio? Not required by law or rules, expensive, but a great convenience in communicating with ground crew for a potential retrieve. You would definitely fly differently without it, different mindset. Separate category.

Do you have a GPS system? A great convenience, knowing exactly where I am, where the landing sites are, if I can make them or not. Definitely changes mindset and risk. Some people cannot afford them, not fair. Separate category.

Do you have a relief tube? While not expensive, it is a great convenience, changing both mindset and pilot performance. Another category.

I could go on, but you get the idea: when you begin to penalize convenience, you step off a cliff, and the bottom is a long way down.