New products for US Contest Pilots from Random Logic...

Thanks to the proposed changes to section 6.7 (Flight Documentation
Equipment) of the 2008 SSA Regional and National contest rules, Random
Logic will soon be releasing several exciting products for those pilots
wishing to optimize their scores!

For pilots in Category 3 (sports class regionals):

Find yourself falling 5 or 10% behind the scores of the top pilots in
your class? *Dial-a-Speed* (TM) is a tiny utility which runs on any
Windows Mobile or Pocket PC. Installed alongside WinPilot, SeeYou
Mobile, or other popular soaring navigation software, *Dial-a-Speed*
optimizes your task times by transparently intercepting and cleverly
adjusting each GPS fix before it reaches your nav software. Configured
by simply selecting the finish point and your desired level of
optimization, *Dial-a-Speed* allows you to fly your tasks faster by
reducing the distance you need to fly to obtain the desired task
distance. At the end of the day, you simply hand in the IGC file from
your navigation software, to be scored using your optimized distance and
actual task time!

For pilots in Category 2 (regionals, nationals, no US Team points):

The *Disreputable Flight Recorder* (TM) is a simple electronic flight
recorder that meets the needs of the budding regional and national
contest pilot. Incorporating *Dial-a-Speed* technology, the
*Disreputable Flight Recorder* allows you to increase your task speeds
without flying any faster!

For pilots in Category 1 (US Team points):

Intended for the more technologically advanced pilot, the *Secure Flight
Recorder Exchange* (TM) allows US contest pilots to trade their
IGC-approved "all flights" recorder in for an approved flight recorder
that has had its IGC approval level reduced. Each *Secure Flight
Recorder Exchange* unit is accompanied by the appropriate
publicly-available documentation detailing the reasons for the downgrade
of approval. Some assembly required.

DISCLAIMERS: Random Logic does not condone use of these products for
cheating at SSA sanctioned contests. Excessively high *Dial-a-Speed*
settings may cause your competitors to notice that you are turning short
of turn points in assigned speed tasks.

IGC process wearing on you a bit Marc ?

If you're visiting the convention,
please stop by and say hello !

I'm at booth 210,
Best Regards, Dave "YO electric"

Marc,

I want one!. Just please add an emergency landout feature for the
trace to catch up with me. .

Cheers,
Henryk Birecki

Marc Ramsey wrote:

Thanks to the proposed changes to section 6.7 (Flight Documentation
Equipment) of the 2008 SSA Regional and National contest rules, Random
Logic will soon be releasing several exciting products for those pilots
wishing to optimize their scores!

For pilots in Category 3 (sports class regionals):

Find yourself falling 5 or 10% behind the scores of the top pilots in
your class? *Dial-a-Speed* (TM) is a tiny utility which runs on any
Windows Mobile or Pocket PC. Installed alongside WinPilot, SeeYou
Mobile, or other popular soaring navigation software, *Dial-a-Speed*
optimizes your task times by transparently intercepting and cleverly
adjusting each GPS fix before it reaches your nav software. Configured
by simply selecting the finish point and your desired level of
optimization, *Dial-a-Speed* allows you to fly your tasks faster by
reducing the distance you need to fly to obtain the desired task
distance. At the end of the day, you simply hand in the IGC file from
your navigation software, to be scored using your optimized distance and
actual task time!

For pilots in Category 2 (regionals, nationals, no US Team points):

The *Disreputable Flight Recorder* (TM) is a simple electronic flight
recorder that meets the needs of the budding regional and national
contest pilot. Incorporating *Dial-a-Speed* technology, the
*Disreputable Flight Recorder* allows you to increase your task speeds
without flying any faster!

For pilots in Category 1 (US Team points):

Intended for the more technologically advanced pilot, the *Secure Flight
Recorder Exchange* (TM) allows US contest pilots to trade their
IGC-approved "all flights" recorder in for an approved flight recorder
that has had its IGC approval level reduced. Each *Secure Flight
Recorder Exchange* unit is accompanied by the appropriate
publicly-available documentation detailing the reasons for the downgrade
of approval. Some assembly required.

DISCLAIMERS: Random Logic does not condone use of these products for
cheating at SSA sanctioned contests. Excessively high *Dial-a-Speed*
settings may cause your competitors to notice that you are turning short
of turn points in assigned speed tasks.

Do you seriously think that the dangers of someone cheating on his
logs for the great glory of winning a sports class regionals is worth
making every beginnner in the country pony up $1000 for a IGC blessed
logger? Do you really think making that a requirement is important
for the success of the sport?

John Cochrane

BB wrote:
Do you seriously think that the dangers of someone cheating on his
logs for the great glory of winning a sports class regionals is worth
making every beginnner in the country pony up $1000 for a IGC blessed
logger? Do you really think making that a requirement is important
for the success of the sport?

I'm offering a product not making a recommendation. 8^)

Seriously, though here are the existing regional rules:

===
6.7.3 Flight recorder requirements
Flight recorders used for flight documentation must:
• Be a standard production model produced in quantity by a reputable
manufacturer.
• Record position fixes consisting of time, latitude, longitude and
altitude.
• Provide horizontal position referenced to the WGS-84 geographic datum.
• Be capable of an interval between fixes of 15 seconds or less.
• If used in a motorized sailplane, provide a means of determining when
the power unit was used (unless a separate means is provided).
• If used as primary flight documentation for a score that will count
towards U.S. Team selection, be of a make and model that has received
IGC approval as Secure.
• If implemented as software that runs on a computer readily
programmable by the user (such as a PDA or handheld computer), be
IGC-approved as Secure.
===

As far as I'm concerned, they allowed plenty of flexibility in the
various contests I helped score, I'm not sure why someone felt they
needed to be changed. In particular, the requirement for a "standard
production model produced in quantity by a reputable manufacturer"
allowed for handheld GPS units, SN-10s, etc., without requiring IGC
approved flight recorders.

I believe allowing PDA software is a serious mistake, and I'm awfully
tempted to invest the day or two it takes to implement "Dial-a-Speed",
and offer it for free on my website, just so everyone on the Rules
Committee is clear on the Pandora's box they've opened...

Marc

On Feb 10, 7:23 pm, Marc Ramsey wrote:
BB wrote:
Do you seriously think that the dangers of someone cheating on his
logs for the great glory of winning a sports class regionals is worth
making every beginnner in the country pony up $1000 for a IGC blessed
logger? Do you really think making that a requirement is important
for the success of the sport?

I'm offering a product not making a recommendation. 8^)

Seriously, though here are the existing regional rules:

===
6.7.3 Flight recorder requirements
Flight recorders used for flight documentation must:
* Be a standard production model produced in quantity by a reputable
manufacturer.
* Record position fixes consisting of time, latitude, longitude and
altitude.
* Provide horizontal position referenced to the WGS-84 geographic datum.
* Be capable of an interval between fixes of 15 seconds or less.
* If used in a motorized sailplane, provide a means of determining when
the power unit was used (unless a separate means is provided).
* If used as primary flight documentation for a score that will count
towards U.S. Team selection, be of a make and model that has received
IGC approval as Secure.
* If implemented as software that runs on a computer readily
programmable by the user (such as a PDA or handheld computer), be
IGC-approved as Secure.
===

As far as I'm concerned, they allowed plenty of flexibility in the
various contests I helped score, I'm not sure why someone felt they
needed to be changed. In particular, the requirement for a "standard
production model produced in quantity by a reputable manufacturer"
allowed for handheld GPS units, SN-10s, etc., without requiring IGC
approved flight recorders.

I believe allowing PDA software is a serious mistake, and I'm awfully
tempted to invest the day or two it takes to implement "Dial-a-Speed",
and offer it for free on my website, just so everyone on the Rules
Committee is clear on the Pandora's box they've opened...

Marc

Marc

Good to see you are finally willing to release some of your PDA
software toys you've been flying with.

Some suggestions for additional features...

"Daylight savings" - helps address those pesky daylight problems. I
know a couple of other local pilots who'd like this feature as well.

"SUA Avoid" - you did not mean to be there - so let the software deal
with it. An intelligent algorithm should be able to work out if you
actually in fact went under, over or around the SUA, or maybe even
though it at a more appropriate (inactive) time.

Darryl

(I know being off-season is getting to us all).

Henryk Birecki wrote:
Marc,

I want one!.

Yeah, me too. I expect the shipping date to be 1 April?

Tony V.

Darryl Ramm wrote:

snip on topic stuff so I can take it off topic (such as it is ) :-)


Good to see you are finally willing to release some of your PDA
software toys you've been flying with.

Some suggestions for additional features...

"Daylight savings" - helps address those pesky daylight problems. I
know a couple of other local pilots who'd like this feature as well.

"SUA Avoid" - you did not mean to be there - so let the software deal
with it. An intelligent algorithm should be able to work out if you
actually in fact went under, over or around the SUA, or maybe even
though it at a more appropriate (inactive) time.

Darryl

(I know being off-season is getting to us all).

Who's off season? I had a great flight yesterday. Nearly two hours in
strong wave and mild rotor (gotta love that). Cold just below class A
though. Now I've just got to figure out how to get the flight on OLC
before the deadline (I'm new to OLC and the logger).

Shawn

Another useful algorithm might be a feature that "kept you flying"
during a landout and would make you appear to be on final glide as you
trailer back to the field.

Paul
ZZ





Marc Ramsey wrote:
Thanks to the proposed changes to section 6.7 (Flight Documentation
Equipment) of the 2008 SSA Regional and National contest rules, Random
Logic will soon be releasing several exciting products for those pilots
wishing to optimize their scores!

For pilots in Category 3 (sports class regionals):

Find yourself falling 5 or 10% behind the scores of the top pilots in
your class? *Dial-a-Speed* (TM) is a tiny utility which runs on any
Windows Mobile or Pocket PC. Installed alongside WinPilot, SeeYou
Mobile, or other popular soaring navigation software, *Dial-a-Speed*
optimizes your task times by transparently intercepting and cleverly
adjusting each GPS fix before it reaches your nav software. Configured
by simply selecting the finish point and your desired level of
optimization, *Dial-a-Speed* allows you to fly your tasks faster by
reducing the distance you need to fly to obtain the desired task
distance. At the end of the day, you simply hand in the IGC file from
your navigation software, to be scored using your optimized distance and
actual task time!

For pilots in Category 2 (regionals, nationals, no US Team points):

The *Disreputable Flight Recorder* (TM) is a simple electronic flight
recorder that meets the needs of the budding regional and national
contest pilot. Incorporating *Dial-a-Speed* technology, the
*Disreputable Flight Recorder* allows you to increase your task speeds
without flying any faster!

For pilots in Category 1 (US Team points):

Intended for the more technologically advanced pilot, the *Secure Flight
Recorder Exchange* (TM) allows US contest pilots to trade their
IGC-approved "all flights" recorder in for an approved flight recorder
that has had its IGC approval level reduced. Each *Secure Flight
Recorder Exchange* unit is accompanied by the appropriate
publicly-available documentation detailing the reasons for the downgrade
of approval. Some assembly required.

DISCLAIMERS: Random Logic does not condone use of these products for
cheating at SSA sanctioned contests. Excessively high *Dial-a-Speed*
settings may cause your competitors to notice that you are turning short
of turn points in assigned speed tasks.

What is the penalty for unsportsman like conduct?