Let's see; I think I've figured out how to win a contest,
though I've never flown one.

Bring along an FAA safety officer to observe and persuade
him to violate everyone who makes a low pass and to
collect their pilot's certificate for 90 days. Be
sure I stay high and dry and then fly the rest of the
contest in comparative ease in the absence of the hot
shots.

[Written in the aftermath of a blizzard, where I'm
holed up]


At 18:48 16 February 2007, Bruce Greef wrote:
5Z wrote:
On Feb 15, 7:00 am, John Sinclair
wrote:

to decide which finish gate to use. Do I choose the
one that violates the FAR's, has had numerous accidents
and several fatalities, OR do I choose the finish cylinder
which violates no rules and has proven to be much safer?


The finish line does not force the pilot to violate
FARs, and the
cylinder also allows pilots to violate FARs.

Using the finish line, a pilot must cross no lower
than 50' (1000' is
allowed, as is 5000') and within the lateral confines
of the gate.

Using the cylinder, the pilot may choose to cross
it at 500' and
redline, then dive at the airport and make a pass
down the runway at
50'....

So bottom line, there is nothing in the rules that
REQUIRES the
organizers or pilots to do anything stupid. But there
is plenty of
freedom available for the organizers to set up local
field rules. So
set some up! IIRC, you are free to increase the minimum
height of the
finish line. There's noting in the rules to prohibit
you adding some
limits such as described in another thread about new
BGA rules. Just
be sure all pilots are aware of these in a clear an
unambiguous way.

For example, at Hobbs, we were to avoid low patterns
above the prison
at the far end of the field.

-Tom
Who likes to check for obstructions on the runway
up close on the
first approach, then pull up for a normal pattern


Minimum safe attitude is what's needed.