Badges ? ... We don't need no stinkin' badges

Doug Snyder wrote:
Ok, I didn't get the quote quite right. I was going for the Treasure of
the Sierra Madre allusion.

The question remains, is cheating in badge flights so rampant as to
justify the cost difference between secure and non secure igc files? I
mean really, in a land of conspiracy theories, I could always get
someone else to do the flying for me.

The truth is, I would like to have that Gilligan's Island hat with the
the pins. I guess I'll wait until I can borrow a logger (a real
possibility) or until I buy a logger for contest purposes.

Cameras and mechanical barographs are quite suitable for badge flights.
You can buy a usable 35 mm cameras in any thrift store for a dollar or
so, then you just have to find an "old timer" with a barograph to loan
you. You may know a person like that already, and he might be a good
choice for an official observer. Since he owns one, he probably knows
the procedures for badges using cameras and barographs.

--
Change "netto" to "net" to email me directly

Eric Greenwell
Washington State
USA

Eric Greenwell wrote:

Cameras and mechanical barographs are quite suitable for badge flights.
You can buy a usable 35 mm cameras in any thrift store for a dollar or
so, then you just have to find an "old timer" with a barograph to loan
you. You may know a person like that already, and he might be a good
choice for an official observer. Since he owns one, he probably knows
the procedures for badges using cameras and barographs.


Yes, but there is hugh disadvantage. While I just fly over the
turnpont and turn after the beep, the camera user has to fly well over
the turnpont - bank the glider - realize that it was not enough - go
a but further again - bank again - take one or two pictures. It's
valid for all turnpoints including start sector.
I already donated my 35mm camera to the club but noone use it...

/Jancsika

Jancsika wrote:
Eric Greenwell wrote:


Cameras and mechanical barographs are quite suitable for badge
flights. You can buy a usable 35 mm cameras in any thrift store for a
dollar or so, then you just have to find an "old timer" with a
barograph to loan you. You may know a person like that already, and he
might be a good choice for an official observer. Since he owns one, he
probably knows the procedures for badges using cameras and barographs.


Yes, but there is hugh disadvantage. While I just fly over the turnpont
and turn after the beep, the camera user has to fly well over the
turnpont - bank the glider - realize that it was not enough - go a
but further again - bank again - take one or two pictures. It's valid
for all turnpoints including start sector.

I don't think this is a huge disadvantage for a badge flight, where
speed is not the essence of the flight. I used cameras for my badge
flights, and had very little trouble. Easily identifiable turnpoints
should be chosen, and the pilot should practice taking pictures locally
before making the badge flights. With this practice, it takes perhaps a
minute or so longer to do it than with a GPS. That's a maximum of two
minutes extra on an O&R, four minutes extra on a triangle flight. This
is not what will keep a new pilot from success.

If the pilot is navigating with a cheap GPS, it may not even take a
minute extra at the turnpoint, but perhaps 20 seconds, based on my
experience.

For record flights (especially speed), for small clubs where an official
observer may be hard to get just before the flight, and for the
convenience of the OO, a logger is very useful. For free turnpoint
flights and the OLC, of course, it is a requirement.

--
Change "netto" to "net" to email me directly

Eric Greenwell
Washington State
USA

Eric Greenwell wrote:
Cameras and mechanical barographs are quite suitable for badge flights.
...

When I started flying XC and trying for my silver badge, I read the
rules for camera/baro, made 1 attempt, then decided that all of the
rigamarole was not worth it and bought a Colibri. Then all I had to do
was declare the flight and fly it !

Todd
3S