Is the 200ft below Min Finish Height Rule Working?

If a 700ft finish is too low for a 18 meter national contest, then it is probably too low for a Regional. Yes, I understand the caveat of diving off a ridge and would not have a problem with that.

Last year at Perry and at Cordele, I was racing my Silent-IN, the 12 meter, 31/1 L/D.

We had 700 foot finishes at both sites. I understand this is comfortable for a modern 15 or 18 meter ship and leaves plenty of margin.

This does not leave much if any margin for me, and found that I needed to take extra height to be safe.

I am racing too, and this leaves us essentially racing to a different finish points. You are racing to a finish height that gives you an adequate safety margin and I am racing to the same point, but having to take more altitude for the same safety factor.

I understand UH's comment about immediately joining the pattern in an orderly fashion, but I think this could also be done with a 1000 foot finish and some more spoilers added.

This also gives a little more room is someone has a problem on landing and obstructs the runway.

Kevin
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