FAI Sporting Code Section 3 experts wanted

It's starting to get a little gray now, to summarize...

If u declare a Start Point...one can either use release
or Start Point for initial altitude for penalty caluculation.

And then you can compare this against altitude at Finish
Point observation sector?




At 12:54 30 August 2004, Dale Kramer wrote:
Marc,

I can verify that this interpretation is correct.

In 1999, I used this interpretation and received my
1000km.

It was not easy to obtain with this interpretation
and it took many
months of perseverance.

I believe I was the first to do this and I don't think
they were happy
about my insistence on this literal interpretation
of the rule.

It would be interesting to know if anyone else has
successfully used
it.

I took off at Ridge Soaring with Altoona declared as
a start and
finish. Three turnpoints were declared between and
then landed at
Ridge Soaring. I got in wave on my way to Altoona
and decided to fly
down to Cumberland for fun before I started. I was
in wave when I
started at Altoona. I was able to use my tow release
as my start
altitude and my finish altitude at Altoona for the
1000m calculation.

Dale Kramer
K1





Marc Ramsey wrote in message news:...
Denis wrote:
Stewart Kissel wrote:

Ok, this helps clear up an issue that has been bugging
me. I would be interested in anyone who could verify/comment
on whether a tow release could be used for a start...If
a Start Point had been declared.


No, it cannot (except reverting to a *free record*
performance)

SC3 1.4.5.b says that distance using up to three turnpoints
is 'A flight
from a START POINT via up to three TURN POINTS to
a FINISH POINT.' Note
that is says 'a START POINT', not 'the START POINT'.
SC3 1.1.8 says a
START POINT is either '(a) The RELEASE POINT, or (b)
A WAY POINT
declared as a START POINT, or (c) The midpoint of
a START LINE.' Note
that the pilot or data analyst can apparently choose
between (b) and (c)
after the flight, as I've never seen a declaration
form (paper or
electronic) that requires that you declare before
the flight that you
are using a start line as opposed to a start way point
(with OZ). Being
a computer programmer, I'd argue that the 'or' in
clause (a) has the
same logical precedence as the 'or' in clause (b).
Therefore, if you
have declared a start, it still seems to me that it
would be valid to
use any of the START POINT options, including the
RELEASE POINT. Have
you found a rule someplace else that would render
this interpretation
incorrect?

Marc