I expected this discussion to center around the continued use of the
finish gate in US competition, not the math involved. I believe the 50
foot finish line was made unnecessary with the incorporation of the
GPS finish cylinder. I also believe the continued use of the finish
line exposes the SSA to potential liability involved in using a system
that clearly violates FAR's in that the contestant is flying within
500 feet of people, vehicles and structures while not in the act of
landing. Comments from the rules committee?
JJ

Hellman wrote:
What could soaring possibly have in common with nuclear weapons? To
find out, read my new article "Soaring, Cryptography and Nuclear
Weapons" at

http://www.nuclearrisk.org/soaring_article.php

If nuclear weapons are too much of a turn off, take a look at the
related lecture on flying safety which I gave last November at PASCO's
Soaring Safety Seminar. Entitled, "Complacency: What Me Worry?" that
one is at

http://www-ee.stanford.edu/~hellman/...2007_talk.html

Martin

PS I have more soaring safety articles at

http://www-ee.stanford.edu/~hellman/soaring/safety.html

and links to soaring photo pages at

http://www-ee.stanford.edu/~hellman/soaring/photos.html