Andy and others:

This is really great, and thanks for starting up this thread. The RC
really needs this kind of feedback, and make sure to tell us how
things work out during the season.

I read Andy's story this way: The rule is working pretty much as
intended -- it's spreading everybody out as they fish around through
75 square miles looking for a rocket ride out the top. In one sense
this is good news because we worried that "start anywhere" would just
move the gagglle to a different spot and not change anything.

As with the emphasis on TAT and MAT over AST, "spreading out" has fans
and critics. Fans note it's safer to fly by yourself rather than in
big gaggles, and it rewards lone-eagle types who make bold choices
rather than tactical flying and leeching. Critics note that lots of
people like tactical flying and leeching; they like tight races where
"bold choices by lone eagles" or just dumb luck don't have a big
scoresheet impact. A lot of pilots would like a race in which we all
start at the same time and place, run around an AST very close to each
other, and race over a few minutes here and there. (Read, Grand
Prix).

All of this is important. The quality of the race experience matters.
If people feel that starts out the top are introducing too much
variability and strategy for the amount of spreading out they do, then
we need to hear about it.There are simple ways to fiddle with the rule
-- for example, only give extra distance for starts out the side -- if
everyone starts to dislike the start out the top feature. On the
other hand if people feel that the ability to sneak away from the
gaggle by doing something different at the start is valuable, then
this is another argument in its favor.

How I envy you west coast guys all your troubles over 10 knot thermals
that rocket you up so fast that 11,000' start height isn't enough.

John Cochrane
BB