Start Anywhere Cylinder (SSA rules proposal)

If the weather conditions do promote a start from the furthest point
from the first turnpoint, I for one would not bump the prestart
gaggle. This gaggle is highly unreliable for bumping. Typically it
is a bunch of gliders milling around (in and out of) a thermal trying
to stay below max start height. Its a crap shoot as to where the
thermal actually is for bumping. The start anywhere in start cylinder
is a great idea whose time has come. We are allowed total flexibilty
while on course to turn anywhere in the turn cylindrer, we should have
that right at the start.

Dale Kramer
K1





(Mark Navarre) wrote in message ...
16.0 “Start Anywhere� Cylinder
Present rules for start cylinders measure start time from your exit point, but
measure distance from the point on the cylinder’s perimeter closest to your
first turnpoint.
16.1 Would you prefer that both start time and distance be measured from
your cylinder exit point?

Consider the negative implications of starting out the top of the back of the
cylinder and then bumping the pre-start gaggles for more speed. This would mix
racing traffic with non racing traffic, and high speed straight line traffic
with thermalling traffic. Yes, I know this happens already while on course,
but it's not safe there either. Why propose a rule just because the scoring
program can score it? The same logic was partly behind the 1 mile turn
cylinder (read between the lines of the poll). Starting anywhere sure adds
some new variables to "start gate roulette". So you say we will all figure out
the new optimum place to start, go there, and the point is moot? NOT. There
has been an optimum place to start for years with the current rules, but I
observe 20% of pilots have not caught on. That won't change with a new rule.
Why so many rules proposals, anyway? The rules were not that broken until a
committee broke them, while squawking "safety" among other things, and now
there are increasing efforts to protect us from ourselves.
I propose a new rule: 3 year rules stability. Allow discussions, polls, and
regional testing, but National level changes only on a three year cycle.
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Mark Navarre
ASW-20 OD
California, USA
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