On Wed, 2005-03-09 at 21:20 +1030, Leigh Bunting wrote: > John Roake had posted this: > > "I GET THE IMPRESSION that the world movement is fed-up with the > restrictions being placed on the use of âoff the shelfâ GPS for award > flights. Garmin have been extremely vociferous in their condemnation of > IGC and the current rule, so IGC agreed to let Garmin make a > presentation on their complaints at their annual meeting in Lausanne > next month. For some unknown reason Garmin have declined the invitation > at the last moment. So regardless, a presentation is to proceed on > concepts with a view to finding a protocol that will solve the situation > - but donât hold your breath for the restrictions to be lifted in the > next 12 months. From a personal observation I must say that it is > possible (and it has been done) to falsify a barograph trace. Some say > it is possible, but not as easy to change the database of a recording > GPS. So what? If a pilot has to go to those lengths to achieve his Gold > C, who is he fooling? Only himself! And does it matter to the rest of > the community?"
I am in violent agreement on this. I really don't give a damn if some poor, deluded individual spends hours faking up a trace that shows he did a particular badge flight - s/he missed all the enjoyment, highs and lows and incredible sense of personal achievement that comes from actually doing the flight. To say nothing of all those wonderful memories! I'm not terribly fussed about actually claiming badge flights (past Silver, which is needed for comps etc). Do mountaineers get 'badges' for climbing mountains or yachties for a good sail? I'm happy for them to exist - they serve a useful purpose for some pilots in helping them to stretch to the next level early on in their XC career. But in essence, every flight is a personal achievement, one that can be shared only with the other thermal denizens. Mind you, last weekend this included twining and swirling lengths of dry sorghum leaf carried up by willie willies! -- Robert Hart [EMAIL PROTECTED] +61 (0)438 385 533 Brisbane, Australia http://www.hart.wattle.id.au _______________________________________________ Aus-soaring mailing list [email protected] To check or change subscription details, visit: http://lists.internode.on.net/mailman/listinfo/aus-soaring
