Barographs?

On May 24, 1:52*pm, Tony wrote:

i just saw one used on W&W. *Based on what I paid for my last Replogle
we could have 8 barographs ready to go in club ships, privately owned
single seaters, whatever, for the price of one EW.

Yes, but you're not taking into account the maintenance hassles and
failure rates of the barograph; not to mention the fact that it cannot
be used for all badges (see Kirk's comments).

Don't focus on acquisition cost - focus on the "cost of ownership"
over the long run; not just in dollars but in man-hours and stress,
too. Having been through the Silver Badge rigmarole, in my opinion
NOTHING is more discouraging to a budding XC pilot than to go have a
good flight and then be told it won't be accepted because of a
technicality or instrumentation flaw. Be realistic about how many
people are going on badge flights, and how often they will be doing
so. Chances are that any modest-sized club doesn't really need more
than 1 or 2 logger devices. You're much better off getting a
reliable, simple, self-contained unit that is good for every type of
badge and contest.

If the newer club pilots really get into doing these kinds of flights,
they can go out and get their own logger so that they can post their
flights to the OLC and fly badges and contests whenever they want...
its still a lot cheaper to buy a logger than it is to buy your own
glider!

If you give them old equipment that causes them frustration or lost
flights, they'll give up on both the equipment AND on the flying.

My $0.02,

--Noel

P.S. I don't know what the price was on W&W, but I'm selling my spare
ewMicroRecorder for $425... They're not expensive when you consider
that's less than 10 aerotows or 2 annual inspections almost anywhere
in the USA!

On May 24, 4:22*pm, "noel.wade" wrote:
On May 24, 1:52*pm, Tony wrote:



i just saw one used on W&W. *Based on what I paid for my last Replogle
we could have 8 barographs ready to go in club ships, privately owned
single seaters, whatever, for the price of one EW.

Yes, but you're not taking into account the maintenance hassles and
failure rates of the barograph; not to mention the fact that it cannot
be used for all badges (see Kirk's comments).

Don't focus on acquisition cost - focus on the "cost of ownership"
over the long run; not just in dollars but in man-hours and stress,
too. *Having been through the Silver Badge rigmarole, in my opinion
NOTHING is more discouraging to a budding XC pilot than to go have a
good flight and then be told it won't be accepted because of a
technicality or instrumentation flaw. *Be realistic about how many
people are going on badge flights, and how often they will be doing
so. *Chances are that any modest-sized club doesn't really need more
than 1 or 2 logger devices. *You're much better off getting a
reliable, simple, self-contained unit that is good for every type of
badge and contest.

If the newer club pilots really get into doing these kinds of flights,
they can go out and get their own logger so that they can post their
flights to the OLC and fly badges and contests whenever they want...
its still a lot cheaper to buy a logger than it is to buy your own
glider!

If you give them old equipment that causes them frustration or lost
flights, they'll give up on both the equipment AND on the flying.

My $0.02,

--Noel

oh i know all about barograph failures. I had about 3 or 4 before my
Silver Badge 'stuck'

My first Silver distance and altitude claim as an OO just got approved
yesterday for a club member who was borrowing my barograph. It worked
flawlessly.

In a lot of ways its 6 one way and half dozen another. Another club
member has had 2 diamond altitude flights that he didnt submit because
thanks to the GPS they would've been rejected. Both flights would've
been fine if a Barograph had been used.