On Jul 30, 6:50*pm, Andy wrote:
On Jul 30, 2:47*pm, JJ Sinclair wrote:

Low energy becomes evident at the end of your finish. The guy who
can't make the 500'/1mile cylinder calls for a straight-in landing.
The guy that finds himself with low energy while trying to make a 50'
finish line eats the fence/ hits a truck!
JJ

A low energy final glide should be evident long before reaching either
the finish cylinder or one mile from a finish line. *If there is no
lift and a marginal glide to the airport the choice is to either land
out or try to get over the fence. *The pilot who passed through the
finish cylinder at best L/D and 200 ft is in exactly the same
situation as the guy at best L/D and 200ft *and a mile out going for a
line finish or a rolling finish. *The finish type makes no difference
when there is insufficient energy to make the airport but the pilot
continues to try for the airport.

The argument that the finish cylinder would increase safety in this
scenario may be valid if the pilot has the option to stop and work
lift to get up to minimum finish altitude. *It may also be true that
there is an increase in safety if pilot choses to landout after making
the cylinder finish. *That requires landable areas between the
cylinder circumference and the airport.

As a result of the accident WGC has changed from a line finish to a
cylinder finish. The Friday task sheet defines the finish as cylinder
R=3.0 km with a 140M QNH min finish altitude. *According to the
turnpoints database Szeged is at 80M. *Unless my calculations are
wrong the required L/D from a valid finish to the airport is 50:1.

The same choce remains - try to clear the fence or landout. *The
points penalty for landing out is gone though, and maybe that's enough
to make it safer. Let's hope so.

Andy

It's actually pretty straightforward. The accident happened 20km or
30km out. The impact with the truck was just the final act.

Here's the deal. If you have 500 feet dialed in for your final glide
because that's the competition finish floor with a point penalty for
coming in low,, what are you gonna do when you take that last climb
30km out? If you're a smart racer, you're gonna put 500 feet plus
maybe another 200 feet of cushion in your arrival height and climb
accordingly. Then, you'll monitor your glide against that 500 foot
floor, not against a 0 foot arrival. If you're losing against that
500 foot floor, you might even stop to pick up an extra 100ft if you
hit a bump. Worst case, you blow the glide by 100ft and get a 40pt
penalty. You've still got 300 feet over the road and can easily make
the airport.

Worst case if you're aiming for 0 ft arrival, you take out an innocent
bystander and/or yourself.

Hey, it can still go all pear-shaped, and you end up with a very
marginal glide. But, by moving the floor to 500, you're simply re-
defining the combat arena and giving pilots an incentive to take risks
for points, not their lives.

Erik Mann
LS8-18 (P3)