On 05/13/2011 10:00 AM, John Cochrane wrote:
--- End Quote ---

Hi John,

As usual a well written article with interesting points.

From personal experience I do not like the height and time restriction.
I understand the reasoning behind the rule but I feel that it promotes
unsafe flying by making the pilot spend too much time with his head
down. Instead of looking out we are watching the altimeter and watch in
order to get a valid start.

Thanks for writing the articles, great food for thought.

Luke Szczepaniak

Yes, it has its limits. But wait until you try circling in the clouds
with 50 other gliders, all gaming an unlimited-altitude gate, or
dodging the guys diving out of the clouds at VNE to nick a gate with
limited altitude but no time or speed limit. Can you think of a better
way? That's a serious invitation.
John Cochrane

I obviously don't have the experience you do, the largest contest I have
been in before the implementation of the new rules had about 60 gliders.
The previous situation was much safer as there was a visual reference
outside of the cockpit. It is much easier to stay "clear of cloud"
rather than trying to stay below "5000 feet" on the altimeter let alone
trying to guess what the Flight Recorder is doing. I rather be at cloud
base knowing that the guys up there with me are looking out as opposed
to being 1000 feet below the cloud with all of us looking at our
altimeters and watches.

The current rules haven't resolved the problem they simply shifted it
down below cloud base. They have compressed the gaggles to a reduced
volume of air, and added to pilot workload by unnecessarily complicating
the start gate management.

Luke Szczepaniak