2013 USA Competition Rules Published

On Tuesday, March 5, 2013 9:03:25 AM UTC-7, wrote:
Finish

10.9.2. There are no changes to the rules, but reviewing how it works is useful so you’re not hauling out the rule book on final glide.

The typical finish height will now be 700 feet AGL or more.

If you finish between 500 and 700 feet, you get speed points but a penalty. The penalty is

John, a quick question: How is the finish height defined and measured? For accuracy, it's really a QFE height (height above the runway, not above the ground where you finish). Not a big deal (since most of us don't have radar altimeters) but if you use your moving map "AGL" feature you might get a surprise! And if there are ridges around, you could be lot lower AGL but still be at or above your finish height. So is your finish height taken from your logger altitude, adjusted for difference in pressure altitude after landing?

Oh well, back to clock-watching at the finish...still a bad idea IMHO. And please don't tell us to "just get high enough so that you are comfortably above the finish height". That's like telling a NASCAR driver to stay nice and low, and not to draft too close... We will still be trying to burn off every foot of excess altitude to finish at 701 ft - staring at the altimeter.