Sorry, but this is the sort of esoteric disscusion that actualy turns
me off to soaring.

IMHO either system is just fine, pick one and use it. Contests can do
what ever thay want, I won't participate due to several reasons. Badge
flying & CC is all I'm into.

From what I'm hearing I must use a Barograph in addition to the
expensive logger that I thought would do away with the 19th century
mechanical stuff of pressure chambers and mechanical camera pointing
that is not easy for a newcommer or non-decated sport flyier to do
correctly 100% of the time.

I would vote for the IGC to accept one system or the other, not
intermix them as is now done. If you're trying to measure your
position in relation to a forbidden airspace, you must use the one the
FAA or other National Agency requires, e.g.the altitude device on your
panel and disregard the others.

If you're in a contest you must use whatever the CD requires, right?

If you're going for badges or records you must use the system the
sanctioning body requires, right?

If you're going for club points you use what they require, even if
it's optically observed by the club VP of contest points.


Right now it appears we must use 19th century (or earlier) technology
for FAI altitude gains, expensive secure loggers for distance/time
measurments, and another divice for in-cockpit navigation.

If I were starting out in this sport, I'd choke on all those
requirements above and not go for badges, CC or contests becaue the
investment in dedicated equipment is too high, (I collected my devices
over the years as my paycheck could afford it).

If we really want to allow low cost entry to this sport, IMHO we
should allow the COTS GPS instruments for the badge flights as least,
I'm truely sorry that will destroy the market for dedciated Soaring
Instrument makers of high priced loggers, it's a shame, but that's
competition for you, happens everyday in my industry, (and I still
can't understand why they cost so much). Maybe it's just learning
curve, if so, we've learned, now move on.

End game: FAI/IGC pick a system, stick with it, allow older systems
for an economic phase in time (are we there yet?), and please try to
make it user friendly, espicialy new users friendly.

Wayne