US Standard Class Nationals--Day 3

Curious as to why the CD is calling line finishes. Especially really low like today?

Thanks!

Lou

On Friday, August 3, 2018 at 10:32:12 AM UTC-4, MNLou wrote:
Curious as to why the CD is calling line finishes. Especially really low like today?

Thanks!

Lou

Because good fun in skilled hands.

50' isn't "really low".

True story: I got chewed out at a regional contest for finishing too high. We had a line finish, offset from the runway, no minimum altitude. The local commercial operation was flying rides while competitors were on course. It was official practice, so no reason to push real hard... and the last 10 miles of this particular final glide is totally unlandable (unless you consider trees or lakes landable), I finished at 500' and found myself head to head with a towplane on downwind. When I expressed concern about this at the safety meeting, I was told by the CD in no uncertain terms that I was the one that was out of line. Much has changed in 20 years.

T8

A wise person once told me, "you can NEVER beat the record for low finishes, you can only tie!"

LOL............

Yes, much has changed.

I wish I had a copy of the video Charlie Minner did at Mifflin a long time ago. We had to finish west bound, but coming from the west. ASW-20C, some water, tons of speed, high G 180 to get through the gate. Rather bowed wings, sun off the wings, Charlie said it was one of his best videos.

I miss both "Charlie's". :-(

HR, thanks for posting info, we appreciate it.

Yes, well, CD Mark Keene is all about improving the fun level...safely. He did a thorough briefing on lower finishes, low energy vs high, rolling finish, informing others of low energy requiring some modification in the pattern. Plus, finish altitude is a pilot option, nothing is pressured.
Plus, there are three parallel runways and loads of real estate. The whole flight is precision flying and the finishes are over short trees, no people and simply a finale to the flight. Not a big deal.
The CD called a line finish because he is the boss who is paid very little to do a lot of work. Annnnddddd, people are walking around with smiles after landing forgetting about the sink hole they spent 30 mins in grinding around.
Tomorrow we fly......ooooohhhhaaaaaahhhhh!

R