Earlier Mike wrote
Okay, so then why not fly 30 minutes over the minimun time and so get an
"hurt" even less. Why would someone think that flying 15 minutes over the
minimum time was the ideal way to respond to the 15 minute rule?


Mike,
The affect of John's +15 minute rule is to make a new minimum time of 3:15 (in
my example), so now it is advantageous to be as close as possible to the new
minimum time. Flying as close as you can to the minimum time will take maximum
advantage of your "free" altitude, that you had at the start gate.
JJ Sinclair