Start Anywhere

John, a couple of questions:

First, what is the difference between starting out the top and
"nicking" the front of the start cylinder (JJ's example) and starting
out the top and "bouncing" a convenient start gaggle near the front of
the start cylinder, conveniently located on your courseline - which
(according to your Contest Corner article, the new start is supposed
to prevent)? Seems the two are for all practical purposes identical
to me - If JJ had to bounce a start gaggle where he nicked the
cylinder, would he have had to take the penalized start?

Second, and more basic: Why do we even allow starts out the top? I
thought the CD was supposed to set the top high enough that it would
be unlikely that anyone could start out the top (Quote in Winning
2?). Allowing the lucky pilot who stumbles into the one thermal that
tops out 2000' above the rest to use all of it, while the rest are
trying to stay under the top to avoid the 2 minute penalty seems a bit
counterproductive. I've raced out West, where the selected top can be
a significant factor, and in the East, where it usually isn't, so I'm
really curious. We setup the start opening time to allow everybody an
equal opportunity to achieve a good start, but leave a bit of a
loophole, IMHO.

As an aside, why isn't the top of the start cylinder given as an MSL
altitude, instead of an AGL altitude? Seems absurd, since you end up
having to add the start height to the elevation of the start point,
then use an MSL altitude anyway, which could have no relation to AGL
if the start cylinder is over mountainous terrain and the start point
in a valley!

That being said, I like the new start - just wish the computers I use
(SN10 and mSeeYou) handled it better....

Kirk
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