I like to be more specific than 'telemetry'...and of course I have done an article on the topic, as well as own the above tools, and used them.
So this post is from having used them in contests, practice, and been around them in contests and practice.
First lets talk about the ones that make noise:
I love them and hate them.
First I hate using them because its a distraction, keeps me from listening to what my partner is trying to 'tell' me as it flies into lift /sink or neutral air. (Our partners are our sailplanes for you guys who don't understand that our contests are all won or lost by a team, you and it :-)
Next I love them cuz I can keep my eye on my plane to see how my plane is indicating when the noise maker is saying up/down or neutral.
I really hate having noise while I am soaring, especially when it is some other guys 'talker' making that chatter, bloops, bleeps, woooooeees.
Do these altimeter/Vario things help a pilot WIN a contest?
YES and NO.
YES if the pilot uses them for practice with the idea of watching his plane, using the device to learn his plane's language.
NO if he uses it in a contest. The reason is this, the pilots who use them are too busy with the telemetry device, they are busy being concerned about the device, and are thinking about other things than having a good time flying with friends.
IN the instances where pilots have used them and won a contest, those pilots never needed the device to win in the past and I believe that they would be doing a lot better if they weren't a slave to the noise maker.
Using an altimeter device (both the ELV and the Pic) help me understand air and my plane.
When the Altimeter said Hey you're going up, I saw that my sailplane's tail did indeed go up to indicate lift, that the controls got real alert and responsive. I saw that when my sailplane was in sink, my sailplane got sluggish and the tail dropped from all that cold air coming down on it.
I saw all that before I had the altimeters, but I never really 'got it'. They acted as an Berlitz language aide of sorts, and that was the key to me moving up 30 places at V and winning some tough contests. That opened an awareness that allows me to see a little of what JW described in his video and conversations on the topic.
I tried them in contests and found that they got in the way of my 'work'.
So are they an advantage in a contest, yes. Will a guy with one in his plane at a contest win because of it? I doubt it.
Until they include a GPS auto pilot, there is still the landing to make for points.
Should they be allowed in contests? YES!!!! What is more fun that winning a contest against a bunch of guys who used 'telemetery' to get their times instead of their experience!
Should everyone own a Picolario and ELV? YES, they are incredible tools for learning more about our hobby, and in the case of the Pic, can be used as a model locator, and very precise ground range tester.
Real time Altimeter's (that means they are reporting alititude as it is happening) are a lot of fun too. Highest altitude gained for dollars in a set short amount of time, Highest launch for bucks,,,, all sorts of fun things, also great for optimizing launches...right then.
Altitude Reporting devices ADD fun to our tasks, why would someone care if one helped someone win a contest?....Our sailplane's do. :)
Gordy
Bachelor for the weekend and working on planes!
