Ian wrote:
On 13 Feb, 15:00, Tony Verhulst wrote:

Ian wrote:


flight verification (I believe we're losing ground observers as
well).

You understand of course that whatever they may say, they're really
doing it for convenience - *their* convenience.


Of course.


One answer, of course, is for another authority besides the FAI to
issue badges.

Like that will ever happen.


Nothing to stop it. And while it's about it, the new badges could be
handicap linked. Silver in 50:1 is just taking the mickey.

Ian

You could pretty much do this using the OLC, which already allows you to
submit flight tracings using COTS GPS hardware like the Etrex, or from a
free PDA based GPS program like "Soaring Pilot". Admittedly, they give
you a "blue V" instead of a "green V" like with the IGC approved
recorders, but who cares? Somebody could set up a program to award
badges to people who want them using those tracings. No IGC would be
needed, and they would also already be handicapped by the OLC. The
Etrex, being self contained, would be very portable from one
club sailplane to another.