Silver Badge questions

I would like to attempt the duration and altitude silver badge.

how do I go about finding an observer willing to work with me?

how do I borrow/rent an appropriate flight data recorder?

thanks, bob

On Saturday, February 21, 2015 at 5:53:54 PM UTC-5, Bob Pasker wrote:
I would like to attempt the duration and altitude silver badge.

how do I go about finding an observer willing to work with me?

how do I borrow/rent an appropriate flight data recorder?

thanks, bob

The SSA.org website will cover requirements.
A Replogle barograph (I believe it needs a "current" calibration) is enough to document the flight.
Nothing fancy here (stated from one that did up to diamond goal & distance using a barograph and ACTUAL film camera's!!!!!..... just need a Diamond altitude for a full set.... all done from Middletown, NY).

you can get it calibrated AFTER the flight!

Cookie


On Saturday, February 21, 2015 at 6:00:23 PM UTC-5, Charlie M. (UH & 002 owner/pilot) wrote:
On Saturday, February 21, 2015 at 5:53:54 PM UTC-5, Bob Pasker wrote:
I would like to attempt the duration and altitude silver badge.

how do I go about finding an observer willing to work with me?

how do I borrow/rent an appropriate flight data recorder?

thanks, bob

The SSA.org website will cover requirements.
A Replogle barograph (I believe it needs a "current" calibration) is enough to document the flight.
Nothing fancy here (stated from one that did up to diamond goal & distance using a barograph and ACTUAL film camera's!!!!!..... just need a Diamond altitude for a full set.... all done from Middletown, NY).

I don't think Repolge barographs are accepted any more? Many years ago SSA told us we were the only submitter that year using a Repolge and film.
I thought it now had to be a digital recorder?
Most "approved" recorders have a baro record for altitude, along with the GPS altitude.

Someone at your field may have a portable recorder, Nano's are great.
BillT

Both the SSA website info on silver badge, and the FAI "rules" still mention "stand alone baragraph".....I can't find anything that says a "replogle" or Winter" baro is not to be used!

The lower cost electronic flight recorders such as Fly with CE...do NOT have baro (pressure)altitude so the rules require an extra height margin when going for altitude badges, to compensate for any possible error..

Cookie




On Sunday, February 22, 2015 at 12:45:16 AM UTC-5, Bill T wrote:
I don't think Repolge barographs are accepted any more? Many years ago SSA told us we were the only submitter that year using a Repolge and film.
I thought it now had to be a digital recorder?
Most "approved" recorders have a baro record for altitude, along with the GPS altitude.

Someone at your field may have a portable recorder, Nano's are great.
BillT

On Sunday, February 22, 2015 at 6:24:03 AM UTC-5, Cookie wrote:
Both the SSA website info on silver badge, and the FAI "rules" still mention "stand alone baragraph".....I can't find anything that says a "replogle" or Winter" baro is not to be used!

The lower cost electronic flight recorders such as Fly with CE...do NOT have baro (pressure)altitude so the rules require an extra height margin when going for altitude badges, to compensate for any possible error..

Cookie



So I think climbing an extra 100 meters for the silver altitude beats spending an extra $500 to $1000 for a pressure sensing recorder any day!


Cookie




On Sunday, February 22, 2015 at 12:45:16 AM UTC-5, Bill T wrote:
I don't think Repolge barographs are accepted any more? Many years ago SSA told us we were the only submitter that year using a Repolge and film.
I thought it now had to be a digital recorder?
Most "approved" recorders have a baro record for altitude, along with the GPS altitude.

Someone at your field may have a portable recorder, Nano's are great.
BillT

Sorry Gents - I disagree.

Buy a Nano. They are relatively cheap, foolproof, fully IGC approved. Set it and forget it.

Plus, when you decide to fly your first contest, you will want a backup recorder anyway. Also, you can tie it into any instrument that needs a GPS engine.

Just my $0.02.

Lou

On Sunday, February 22, 2015 at 12:45:16 AM UTC-5, Bill T wrote:
I don't think Repolge barographs are accepted any more? Many years ago SSA told us we were the only submitter that year using a Repolge and film..
I thought it now had to be a digital recorder?
Most "approved" recorders have a baro record for altitude, along with the GPS altitude.

Someone at your field may have a portable recorder, Nano's are great.
BillT

The removal of mechanical barographs from the Sporting Code was proposed at last year's FAI/IGC Plenary meeting (Varese, ITA, 7-8 March 2014) as a Year One proposal. It is on the agenda for this year's Plenary (to be held at Lausanne SUI 27-28 February 2015) as a Year Two proposal. IF accepted, it will be incorporated into the Sporting Code this October 1st (end of northern hemisphere season, start of southern hemisphere season). See http://www.fai.org/igc-about-us/igc-meetings ; scroll down to para 8.1.9. Click "Sporting Code Committee Proposals". So, they can currently be used; it is POSSIBLE (perhaps probable) that this will be the last northern hemisphere season where they will be acceptable.

It takes two years for most changes to be made; an initial proposal, questions, comments, requests for change, then a final proposal, vote, and if accepted, the process to incorporate it into the next Sporting Code.

One gotcha; when I went to the fai pages, I initially couldn't find the agenda with links that had this, in the "documents" link where I expected it; it was cleverly hidden in the "about us" link under "meetings". As of this morning, it is in "documents" under "meetings".

If you want a break from shoveling snow, you can click through the links and read each proposal; reports from OSTIV, voting for locations of future World Contests (eg. - 1st PAGC handicaps are mentioned). You can watch, over the years, the progress in the Sporting Code. The changes proposed for this year may mean the SC is 80% the length of the current code, theoretically much simpler, and separates badge flying from records (which as any casual reader of the sporting code knows, greatly complicates and frustrates neophyte badge fliers (and their OOs)). Good, thankless work by the Sporting Code committee.

2D

On Saturday, February 21, 2015 at 2:53:54 PM UTC-8, Bob Pasker wrote:
how do I borrow/rent an appropriate flight data recorder?

Assuming you are in US, one option is the FlyWithCE FR300, which is an SSA approved "GPS Position Recorder". This is good for your Silver and Gold badges, OLC, and SSA contests. At $140 won't put a big dent in your wallet (and is not much more than the cost of getting a dusty old barograph calibrated):

http://wingsandwheels.com/old-site/f...xx_gps_dat.htm

Just remember that you need an extra 100 meters for your badge altitude gains...

Marc

that looks pretty good, thanks.

but there is a table titled "Flight Recorder FR300 Quick list of certificates" that does now show that the device can be used for SSA Silver and Gold badges, although this is contradicted in the text.

it also means I need windows (which I don't currently have)

On Saturday, February 21, 2015 at 6:52:11 PM UTC-5, wrote:
On Saturday, February 21, 2015 at 2:53:54 PM UTC-8, Bob Pasker wrote:
how do I borrow/rent an appropriate flight data recorder?

Assuming you are in US, one option is the FlyWithCE FR300, which is an SSA approved "GPS Position Recorder". This is good for your Silver and Gold badges, OLC, and SSA contests. At $140 won't put a big dent in your wallet (and is not much more than the cost of getting a dusty old barograph calibrated):

http://wingsandwheels.com/old-site/f...xx_gps_dat.htm

Just remember that you need an extra 100 meters for your badge altitude gains...

Marc