Electronic declaration - Colibri

[Ian Cant]

The Colibri automatically makes a flight declaration
on takeoff. It always has the same pattern, takeoff
then startpoint then turnpoints then finish point then
landing place.

For badge purposes, if I want to declare a flight using
release point via turnpoints to unknown landing point,
how do I go about it ? Can I choose after the flight
to use the actual release point and actual landing
place ? If my actual landing place is not the declared
finish or landing place, is that OK ? If I skip the
declared startpoint and go straight from release to
first TP, is that OK ?

I[gnor]an[t]

[toad]

Ian Cant wrote:
> The Colibri automatically makes a flight declaration
> on takeoff. It always has the same pattern, takeoff
> then startpoint then turnpoints then finish point then
> landing place.
>
> For badge purposes, if I want to declare a flight using
> release point via turnpoints to unknown landing point,
> how do I go about it ?

Just declare the flight with a start and finish, then ignore them, use
the release point as start, and the landing point as finish. Read the
sporting code, some badges (such as diamond goal have stricter
requirements.

> Can I choose after the flight
> to use the actual release point and actual landing
> place ?

Yes.

> If my actual landing place is not the declared
> finish or landing place, is that OK ?

Yes.

>If I skip the
> declared startpoint and go straight from release to
> first TP, is that OK ?

Yes.

Have fun
Todd Smith

[Eric Greenwell]

Ian Cant wrote:
> The Colibri automatically makes a flight declaration on takeoff. It
> always has the same pattern, takeoff then startpoint then turnpoints
> then finish point then landing place.
>
> For badge purposes, if I want to declare a flight using release point
> via turnpoints to unknown landing point, how do I go about it ? Can
> I choose after the flight to use the actual release point and actual
> landing place ? If my actual landing place is not the declared
> finish or landing place, is that OK ? If I skip the declared
> startpoint and go straight from release to first TP, is that OK ?

I asked "the (SSA) badge lady", Judy Ruprecht, about this in April 2005.
You might want to get an update from her, since it's been more than a
year. She wrote:

> The dilemma you describe has inspired discussion of future procedural
> changes, but nothing's been adopted to date.
>
> You can use release as the Start/Finish Point, but bear in mind
> you'll have to Finish within 1,000 meters of this location in order
> to "achieve the goal" per Sporting Code 4.3.4. (Yes, I know this rule
> refers only to Finish Points and is mute on the topic of Start
> Points... but a closed course requires "a return to the Start Point
> at the finish of the Soaring Performance.")
>
> For a Free O&R or Free Triangle, you needn't declare any waypoints
> before the flight, but you DO have to mind that "return to the Start
> Point" stuff, as well as the requirement to enter the Finish Point OZ
> and pass within 1,000 meters of the Finish Point.
>
> For a speed or distance O&R or Triangle per SC3 1.4.6, the BEST thing
> to do is declare coordinates for a Start/Finish Point located near
> the area where you plan to release. (This removes all ambiguity from
> the equation and allows you to use these coordinates for navigation
> purposes, rather than try to remember where - exactly - you
> released.) Just bear in mind: you must finish by entering the OZ AND
> flying within 1,000 meters of the declared Start/Finish coordinates.
>
> If you prefer to use actual release as the Start/Finish Point,DO NOT
> try to leave Start and Finish blank in the electronic declaration,
> even if the Cambridge allows it. (Per Technical Standards regarding
> electronic declarations, the FR REQUIRES a declared location for a
> Start Point - skipping this leads to the intended Turnpoint being
> listed in the electronic declaration as the Start Point. This is an
> irredeemable error!
>
> There are two ways to work around this:
>
> (1) If your FR will permit it, declare a Start/Finish Point at
> 00000/000000 (or something equally as improbable... 30:00.000N/
> 110:00.000W would be fine, flying out of Ephrata, for example.) NAME
> this point "RELEASE" and enter both the coordinates and the name in
> the electronic declaration as both the Start and the Finish Point.
> (It will not display properly in evaluation software without being
> "massaged," but this is OK. It will stick out like a sore thumb and
> the name "RELEASE" makes it clear what you intended.)
>
> Once a totally pristine flight file is downloaded and tucked away, a
> second copy can be tinkered with in software to confirm the release
> location and "amend" the declaration accordingly to check OZ
> penetration, Start & Finish time & altitude, etc.. At the risk of
> being redundant: DO NOT ATTEMPT THIS EVALUATION TECHNIQUE ON THE
> ORIGINAL FLIGHT FILE!
>
> (2) Do what you want/need to do in the FR if it incorporates nav
> functions, but in any case turn it on BEFORE you make a paper
> declaration and have it signed by an OO at a time CLEARLY after the
> time at which the FR was turned on. If an old declaration is resident
> in the FR when turned on, it will register the date and time as if it
> is the declaration intended - and a written declaration made before
> this time will be invalid per Sporting Code 4.2.2(a). Nasty surprise!
>
>
> Hope this helps!
>
> Judy

--
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Eric Greenwell - Washington State, USA

"Transponders in Sailplanes" on the Soaring Safety Foundation website
www.soaringsafety.org/prevention/articles.html

"A Guide to Self-launching Sailplane Operation" at www.motorglider.org