2008 Proposed US Competition Rules Changes

On Dec 24, 12:58 pm, AK wrote:
Thank you both for your examples I see your point. Do you have any
opinion on what is the best software for PDA in regards to entering
new tasks in the air? What I am looking for is any easy to operate,
with minimum attention, fewest steps software other than Glide
Navigator II. Thx.

AK

Hi AK,
The safety question of changing tasks in air the while somewhat
inconvenient has proven it's self to be a great tool and beneficial
for all concerned as noted by UH & BV. One of the many pre-contest
practice items to add to your check list is "changing tasks in the
air", be it AT, TAT or MAT. Once you've put a dozen in air task
changes under your belt it will be fairly easy to accomplish. Try it
in simulation mode on the ground a bunch of times to get comfortable
then repeat the process in the air, you'll be fine.

As for a software that's "easy to operate, with minimum attention,
fewest steps" I don't know why you would discount GNll, it's certainly
the easiest software I know of to enter tasks on the fly. I also have
Winpilot but prefer GNll , especially in comps for the very reasons
you're looking for it's easy to operate, with minimum attention and
the fewest steps to complete, but with less bell and whistles, hense
easier. Most comps I've attended in the last four years have had one
or two task changes in the air, so count on it occurring.

Regards,
Rick - 21

2 more cents to add he

Contest directors are generally very aware of the diffuculty and
dangers of task changes in midair, so they only do it when the need
for a task change outweighs the difficulty of doing it in midair.
Good CDs often take steps to minimize in-iar programming; they call
A,B,C tasks; they limit task changes to easy things to do like adding/
deleting a turnpoint rather than starting over, and they hate to
change task type e.g. MAT to TAT. I don't think we need rules unless
CD judgement were failing here, which isn't the case.

On software, realize that most of the software out there is not
designed with in-air task changes in mind, since this freedom is a US
particularity. The ease of in-air task change varies a lot. One
program I tried crashed the PDA and the 302, needing an in-air power
off restart of both, 10 minutes before start opened. Not fun.

John Cochrane

On Dec 28, 11:11 am, BB wrote:
On software, realize that most of the software out there is not
designed with in-air task changes in mind, since this freedom is a US
particularity. The ease of in-air task change varies a lot. One
program I tried crashed the PDA and the 302, needing an in-air power
off restart of both, 10 minutes before start opened. Not fun.

Yikes. Certainly some software is designed with this in mind.
Guess that's why we're still cranking out ILEC SN10Bs !
Best Regards, Dave "YO"

PS: Yes, I know, AATs could still be a bit easier...

On Dec 28, 12:12*am, Rick Culbertson wrote:
On Dec 24, 12:58 pm, AK wrote:

Thank you both for your examples I see your point. Do you have any
opinion on what is the best software for PDA in regards to entering
new tasks in the air? What I am looking for is any easy to operate,
with minimum attention, fewest steps software other than Glide
Navigator II. Thx.

AK

Hi AK,
The safety question of changing tasks in air the while somewhat
inconvenient has proven it's self to be a great tool and beneficial
for all concerned as noted by UH & BV. One of the many pre-contest
practice items to add to your check list is "changing tasks in the
air", be it AT, TAT or MAT. *Once you've put a dozen in air task
changes under your belt it will be fairly easy to accomplish. Try it
in simulation mode on the ground a bunch of times to get comfortable
then repeat the process in the air, you'll be fine.

As for a software that's "easy to operate, with minimum attention,
fewest steps" I don't know why you would discount GNll, it's certainly
the easiest software I know of to enter tasks on the fly. I also have
Winpilot but prefer GNll , especially in comps for the very reasons
you're looking for it's easy to operate, with minimum attention and
the fewest steps to complete, but with less bell and whistles, hense
easier. Most comps I've attended in the last four years have had one
or two task changes in the air, so count on it occurring.

Regards,
Rick - 21

Rick,

GNII would be perfect but it does not integrate with borgelt
variometers. Software that itegrates well with these variometers
include WinPilot, SeeYou Mobile and possibly flyWithCE (this is at
least what I know). Any experiance on any of them in regards to
entering tasks.

Thank you,

AK

On Dec 28, 3:45 pm, AK wrote:
On Dec 28, 12:12 am, Rick Culbertson wrote:



On Dec 24, 12:58 pm, AK wrote:

Thank you both for your examples I see your point. Do you have any
opinion on what is the best software for PDA in regards to entering
new tasks in the air? What I am looking for is any easy to operate,
with minimum attention, fewest steps software other than Glide
Navigator II. Thx.

AK

Hi AK,
The safety question of changing tasks in air the while somewhat
inconvenient has proven it's self to be a great tool and beneficial
for all concerned as noted by UH & BV. One of the many pre-contest
practice items to add to your check list is "changing tasks in the
air", be it AT, TAT or MAT. Once you've put a dozen in air task
changes under your belt it will be fairly easy to accomplish. Try it
in simulation mode on the ground a bunch of times to get comfortable
then repeat the process in the air, you'll be fine.

As for a software that's "easy to operate, with minimum attention,
fewest steps" I don't know why you would discount GNll, it's certainly
the easiest software I know of to enter tasks on the fly. I also have
Winpilot but prefer GNll , especially in comps for the very reasons
you're looking for it's easy to operate, with minimum attention and
the fewest steps to complete, but with less bell and whistles, hense
easier. Most comps I've attended in the last four years have had one
or two task changes in the air, so count on it occurring.

Regards,
Rick - 21

Rick,

GNII would be perfect but it does not integrate with borgelt
variometers. Software that itegrates well with these variometers
include WinPilot, SeeYou Mobile and possibly flyWithCE (this is at
least what I know). Any experiance on any of them in regards to
entering tasks.

Thank you,

AK

I have flown with WinPilot for a few years and it is easy to set a
task in flight. Two different types of windows you can work with. Do
I like to do it? No! We did too many at the US 15M Nats in 2006.
The changes were good for the task, but I still think it is one of the
most dangerous things we do at a contest. Especially if it involves
TAT's with many turnpoints.

TT