A Winged figure that is at GROUND level can move over blocking terrain without affecting its movement as long as it does not end its movement in blocking terrain, correct?

My main question is this: Can a figure that is at SOARING and currently above blocking terrain, move to ground level and then move off the blocking terrain?

I don't see anything in the rules that prevents this action. I think that the fact that a winged figure ignores terain for movement purposes, you can move from soaring to ground over any terrain and then move up to half your distance. As long as you move off the blocking terrain, there isn't any problem.

That sounds right to me.

Just to make sure I understand you here - You are dropping your soaring figure straight down, into blocking terrain, then measuring from there to complete the move into legal terrain? If that's what you're saying, it looks right to me.

Yeah, that's it. I already got a ruling on this from a Rules Arbitrator in which he states that this is a legal move. I recently lost a game because my opponent and the warlord said that I could not move to ground level on blocking terrain and then move to clear terrain.