Dear Neil,

May be its lack of experience, may be the focus is only on some discussed international occasions, or may be it is not knowing what really can happen during launches or is possible with RDT. But let me tell you that 20 sec is a long time, and a modell coming down over the nose with high speed, is flying on his back after a 2nd bunt failure or is breaking out during a bunt is down in a very short time when you "push the button" in a calculated way. The RDT operator is not allowed to sleep or to be "button happy"...... ! (I think they normally use buttons instead of triggers).

I have seen more than once in the last year during our national and international contests some beautifull RDT's within the first 20 sec because of a bad launch or to prevent crashing a F1A modell. Not all by famous flyers, not all in fly-offs and may be that is the reason they are "out of sight" and not so painfully discussed in SEN. So, like it or not, the rules allow it, its proven technology, not only by Per, but by a lot of flyers, so why denying the possible "mis-use" ?

And then some technics. May be its the air or small thermals in our low countries, but RDT's from heights up to 75 m during test flying or at the end of the flight in flat air mostly ending within 15-20 sec. So nothing impossible (unless they are in hugh boomers).

Its therefore safety RDT's at the end of a flight need secure counting of the operator to prevent the modell coming down before 180 sec's. Our RDT experts can tell you a lot more !  It is very depending from the actual thermal or air you are flying in, the behaviour of the modell during DT etc. (F1A modells normally not coming down F1B-wise, some of them even like to drill holes........its what you prefer).

In my opinion: if we want to keep our free flight sport clean, don't try to ban RDT, but change outdated rules by removing the 20 sec rule or shorten it at least to 5 or 10 seconds. You cannot turn (high tech) times anti-clock wise and its impossible to prove the use of "illegal" RDT's, unless we want to have a contest atmosphere with insinuations, modell police on the field or device detector portals on the starting line for competitors and helpers.

Ron Kreetz

Netherlands