(Bill Feldbaumer) wrote in message
....

There is one disadvantage:

* For an optimized flight, the pilot has to have converted as much
energy as possible into distance at time-out. This leads to pilots
timing out low in the vicinity of the contest site (to take advantage
of the 10% home bonus) and wobbling with minimal energy over the
fence. (Karl Striedeck was quick to point this out). We are looking at
solutions, i.e. reduction of the home bonus to 5% for arrivals under
500 ft, timing-out as soon a pilots descend below 1000 ft agl (or an
equivalent pre-defined MSL altitude) before finishing.


Minor disadvantage or fatal flaw? Actually, the optimal flight ends at
minimum altitude as far downwind of the contest site as you dare.
Then, scratch back home, arriving just as the sun goes down. (Not just
opinion here, but reports from the last club class worlds.) The
contest becomes a crapshoot about whether you pull this off or not.
The min altitude doesn't really help; even a save from 1000' 30 miles
downwind late in the day is a chancy proposition, but a
contest-winning strategy. Then, there's the question, just how much
wind does it take before it's advantageous to go straight downind and
ignore the bonus points? More math problems, and a great task for
motorgliders!

The basic total distance scoring would be very attractive, if only
giders didn't land out every now and then. For now, no one has solved
this basic flaw in the system.

John Cochrane