Start Anywhere Cylinder (SSA rules proposal)

C'mon Mark, read and think before you blow up. The rule says "exit the
cylinder." You can't bump the start gaggles in the cylinder if you
have exited the cylinder.

And give the RC a little credit for intelligence. They've thought
about this problem. I believe the precise rule the RC is working on
insists on taking your last exit from the cylinder precisely to avoid
traffic problems. They have thought about only allowing starts from
the "front half" of the circle. I know they decided against "best fix
in the start area" precisely to avoid this traffic problem. They have
thought hard about it, and any rule they end up with will address this
obvious problem. They're not dumb, you know.

Here's the advantage of taking distance from the exit point. In the
current system a single point is optimal -- the point of the circle
closest to the first turn. This focuses traffic and gives rise to
the huge pre start gaggle we all know and love.

If you get credit for the extra distance that you achieve, starting
say 1/4 of the way around the start circle, then you can avoid the
huge gaggle with no penalty. You can also start directly from a good
thermal, or start at the point closest to the cloudstreet out on
course, without worrying about losing the 2-3 miles relative to the
optimal point. How relaxing.

It becomes just like starting from a line -- there is no single
optimal point. Every start point is "just as close" to the first turn.
Lots of people want a line for this reason -- Dave Mockler campaigned
for RC precisely on this. With this little change you get all the
benefits of starting on a line, and none of the disadvantages:
everyone is within 5 miles of the home airport, and there is no upwind
end.

This change also reduces the amount of calculation and figuring you
have to do. With the current rule, the optimal start point also
depends on wind. I know the secret formula for that, do you? If the
last thermal is far from the optimal point, you have to figure out
whether it's better to glide to the front of the circle, losing
altitude, or leave where you are, losing distance. I know that formula
too. Do you? All of this disappears in this nice new idea.

If something is better, why in the world tie yourself to not using it
for 3 years? I notice few pilots insisting on 3 year moratoriums for
new varios or new gliders!

John Cochrane