I used to criticize the Rules Committee for making myriad annual changes that required WinScore to be modified, introducing the potential (read: certainty) for bugs. It was like the Fed or Congress tinkering with interest rates or the tax code to tweak the economy, blissfully unaware of the impact on the real world of tax software, CPA training, forms design, etc. But in recent years, they've calmed down (the Rules Committee, that is). The more I think about this "small" change and the rationale for it compared with the number of software applications that will have to be modified, the more I feel like we've regressed.

This weekend, I was speaking with the man behind one popular freeware flight computer app and mentioned the change from 1 mile to 1/2 mile. He was quick to say that was a simple change. But his smile faded as he considered the various versions for which he would have to issue new releases.

Assuming that not every application will reflect the new AST radius, arguably this will have a negative effect on safety not just because of the tighter area but also because some of us will be reading numbers to get to .49 mile rather than just glancing at a blip on a TV screen as it approaches the circle.

FWIW, I survived photo targets (all aiming for the same exact point), 1/4 mile radii (a little better) and 1 mile radii (best). I fear our enthusiasm for adopting FAI rules has already triggered its first unintended consequence.

Chip Bearden