On Tuesday, November 27, 2012 4:59:56 PM UTC-8, Richard Walters wrote:
Sean,



My understanding is that pilots that fly under the "normal" weight

for their glider type, do not get a handicap reduction. So instead

they fly with lead bars to get to the normal weight. Or they fly

light ( real light in the case of Sarah Arnold) and give up an

unfair advantage.



Are you proposing allowing lead ballast?



Richard Walters



At 00:13 28 November 2012, wrote:

On Tuesday, November 27, 2012 3:54:51 PM UTC-8, Richard

Walters wrote:

Let's not forget what I consider the most unfair IGC CC rule

of



all- no actual weight based handicapping. So if I fly a Discus

b at



825 pounds and BB flies a Discus a at 700 pounds, we fly

with



the same handicap. I would have a one pound PSF wing

loading



advantage, which would be helpful anywhere but the maybe

the



UK.



Big, heavy guys take note. I weigh 100 kg. BB considerably



less.







Richard Walters









The reference weight for Discus a & b is 367 kg. Every 10 kg

incurs a

handicap increase of 0,005. Yes, there can be a wing loading

difference

but it's accounted for in the handicap.



Copied from current handicap list:



"The handicap is based on the performance at the New IGC

Reference Mass.

If a glider is flown at a mass not exceeding this reference

mass it can be

considered as operated within legal mass limits.

Where a glider is flown at a higher mass by necessity, the pilot

will have

to provide documentation to prove that his glider is

still operated within legal mass limits and the handicap will be

increased

by 0,005 for each 10 kg or part thereof that the glider

exceeds the reference mass. However the wing loading may in

no case exceed

38 kg/m2. In addition the handicap may in no

case exceed 1,09."



Sean Franke





You're right, there is no handicap adjustment for "under weight" gliders. I'm proposing mirroring IGC rules, handicaps and tasking philosophy.

Sean Franke