Motorgliders (long)

"Eric Greenwell" wrote in message
.................
My action benefited the unpowered gliders by reducing congestion at
the airport.

And if I was able to stay out of the way, would you really begrudge
me the same 25 points you got for essentially the same goal: arriving
at an airport to make the end of the flight safer?

Would the rule proposed be agreeable to you if it also allowed a
glider to get the bonus if it landed near the airport to avoid a
safety problem like I described?
Eric Greenwell
Richland, WA (USA)

I know what you are saying. Been there, done that. At a Hobbs Nat when a
squall line developed suddenly, about 26 sailplanes landed at a small single
strip airport in about 20 minutes. We somehow worked it out. At a
Moriairty Nats I was the last to arrive at a small airport that we found had
been turned into a dump. The first 6 sailplanes were still in the little
spaces that were landable (the surrounding area was unlandable). I landed
in a short piece of ground near the end of the old runway and came to a stop
a foot or so from a discarded refrigerator and a couple of microwave ovens.
In both cases it sure would have been nice to have been able to extend an
engine and have other choices. But, I did not have that choice.

For the flight that you stated, what you did might have been safer, but what
would you have done if you had not had an engine? If you fly in a pure
sailplane contest, should you not be exposed to the same mental strain and
decision making of the other contestants? There are many special
disadvantages as to starting the engine as you state, but that is mostly
because you elected to fly "out of class". Also, the motorgliders with an
engine in the nose do not have many of those problems. Yes, I know that not
many exist .... now. If the pure sailplane pilot has to make an off
field landing it sometimes works out that the pilot returns very late and
hungry. The motorglider pilot flys home, has a nice dinner, and gets to bed
early. Is that fair? If you use the engine to modify your decision making
are you competing the same as the other pilots?

I am not really against what you propose, but the total concept should be
thought through. I am really just asking a question about total fairness.

Duane