Distance Task Opinions?

OK 66 even though I "live with you" I have to add a couple of comments....

I totally agree re the safety card thing.....it is used way too much and so
would like to leave it out of this arguement but you did mention it. I
disagree that any task is any safer than the other. It is not only the
other sailplane that you don't see but also that Cessna or 737 out there
that is the threat. The reason that I got a transponder was so that I
didn't get a Southwest enema on one of those long final glides from the
north. Besides that I can't count the number of AST's that I've been on
where the next turn was nearly 180 degrees and so made a potential conflict
with oncoming traffic.

I have a real problem with folks that announce that they will never call
anything but one type of task. It happened at Tonopah and IMHO it resulted
in pilots being required to choose between a puckered up flight or winning a
contest. Yes, yes, yes I know that we are all in charge of ourselves and
that there was that "hole in the clouds" that some claimed made it OK but if
the forecast was for overdevelopment then giving the pilots some options is
a much more reasonable way to be. I'm surprised that you would argue with
this considering we have flown a large number of TAT's this year in our
local contest. It has been overcalled and I would have liked to have seen
more AST's and MAT's but I didn't hear much dissention.

With all due respect to Ben who is a much more experienced and skilled pilot
than myself, I think that PST type tasks are good. If there were such a
luck factor then the same guys would not be winning them consistently (here
in the US at least). I do agree that there is at least more of a luck
factor and so the scoring should somehow reflect it but it should not be
thrown out.

Just some more thoughts...flame away!

Casey
KC

I think the MAT and TAT are both very good options that can, and should be used
at the appropriate time and place. The MAT is an excellent call for Sports
Class where the competitors may be flying everything from an ASH-25 to a 1-26.
Give them several turn points and the ASH driver can get them all and then go
looking for more trouble to get into. The 1-26 driver, on the other hand, may
use up his alloted time in obtaining the first few turn points and then return
home at any time for full credit and speed points. The MAT is also a good call
on a day that may be very weak. If conditions prove better than forcast,
contestants are free to continue onto other turn points.
The TAT is an excellent call on a day where thunderstorms may be a problem, but
exactly where and when can't be predicted too well. Call the TAT with large
circles and the pilots will do the rest.

Both of these tasks are new to US soaring and therefore are being called so
that competitors can become familiar with just how to fly them. I would hope
that in the future they would be used in the appropriate conditions and will
save the day from an inappropriate call where contestants are forced to fly
into dangerous conditions on an AST.
JJ Sinclair