2007 US Contest Rules Poll and Meeting Minutes

On Dec 19, 10:53 am, BB wrote:
Would the cylinder still work the same way if you pierce the edge at
400agl at 120 knots at 1 mile then 15-60 seconds later pull up to
500agl will the scoring program award you which ever is the more
advantageous score? [earlier vs higher?]

Like Hank said, you get the most advantageous score. Rules aside
though, I would hope any CD who saw this maneuver either in person or
on a trace would slap the pilot with a huge unsafe flying penalty.
Lots of gliders are finishing, and you can't see the guy behind and
above you who you just pulled up into -- and he can't see you either.
This isn't just theory. I have had a glider dive over the top of me
right at the finish cylinder, missing by 20 feet -- good thing I
didn't do any pulling up, or I wouldn't be here writing right now.
Please just cross the cylinder wall at your final glide speed, then
gently slow down and enter the pattern. The manever you describe also
wastes points -- the pilot would have done better by simply gliding at
90 knots to the cylinder wall.

John Cochrane.

Interesting. Since the bloody cylinder finish is all about safety,
why not only allow the first point of entry to count for score, and
remove the incentive to pull up inside the cylinder if finishing
slightly low? Obviously, if you have the energy to get back up above
500 ft after entering the cylinder, you had the energy to finish above
500ft in the first place. Unless the finish is on a ridge, of
course....

On second thought, it still encourages pulling up to cross at 501 ft,
instead of 499, and losing a few points...so the safety advantage is
somewhat illusory. Better to enforce penalizing dangerous flying in
the cylinder/during the finish/in the pattern.

Seriously, if the low finish penalty is 2pts for every 10 ft, how will
Winscore handle a 2 or 3 foot low finish? Is it all or nothing? O pts
for 2 ft low, 1 point for 3 feet low, 2 points for 1 ft low? Just
curious...

Better to hash this out amicably when the field is covered with snow
than on the grid during the first contest of the season!

Happy Holiday, all

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