On Feb 10, 1:18*pm, "noel.wade" wrote:

I am concerned because a good number of us use PDA software that may
include new features we cannot easily disable. *So we all are suddenly
not legal to fly in contests this year, or we're open to being
protested because we use free software that we don't control?

[...] other good points snipped.

Phones, watches and PDA software cannot be policed, full stop. LK8000
is designed to run off an SD card.

So, practically speaking, they won't be. I don't think anyone would
actually be stupid enough to try flying blind on these "instruments"
intentionally and if you'd like to try having blundered into cloud
unintentionally, well, good luck, you'll need it.

Gyros in the panel are a different story. I can think immediately of
three guys that would have, at one time, jumped at the chance to cloud
fly in a contest if they thought they could get away with it and it
would give an advantage. I think they have mellowed a bit with age
(but in one case -- not so sure!).

Sean -- in my view -- is spinning an army of straw men. Unlike Eric,
I've flown contests for *only* 20 years and I'd echo -- "it's not just
at the bottom of the safety list, it isn't even on the list." It's
easy to stay the f--- out of clouds if you even give a nod to the
FARs. Would I like a turn gyro or AH in my panel -- sure! -- but I
absolutely do not need it for contest flying (we get a lot of wet wave
in the Fall in NH, that's another issue altogether).

If the rules change w.r.t. instruments, I won't complain. But I will
rat you out if I see you flying into or out of a cloud. That's a
promise.

-Evan Ludeman / T8