In article ,
Andy Blackburn wrote:

What if, in instances where we are using a 1 mile cylinder
for the finish, instead of putting in a hard deck of
500', we make it so the scoring program can calculate
TOTAL ENERGY for each glider at the one mile point
(this should be relatively easy to do). The idea would
be for each sailplane to have at least 500' of EQUIVALENT
ALTITUDE at 1 mile. That is, take actual AGL altitude
and add the equivalent altitude that the glider would
have if it's kinetic energy were converted to altitude
(at say 60 knots).

I agree with the idea, but the fly in the ointment is wind -- the
analysis computer won't know what the wind is, so it can only know your
groundspeed not your airspeed. It will thus let you get away with a
lower airspeed if you're going downwind, while you'll need a higher
airspeed to satisfy it if you're going upwind.

Fortunately, these errors are in the sensible direction, but the
magnitudes of them may or may not be sensible.

-- Bruce