Glider

Gliders are heavier-than-air aircraft primarily intended for un-powered flight.

Classes of glider

For competitions several classes of glider have been defined by the FAI. They are:

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• Standard Class (No flaps, 15m wing-span, water ballast allowed)
• 15 metre Class (Flaps allowed, 15m wing-span, water ballast allowed)
• 18 metre Class (Flaps allowed, 18m wing-span, water ballast allowed)
• Open Class (No restrictions)
• Two Seater Class (maximum wing-span of 20 metres)
• Club Class (This class allows a wide range of older small gliders with different performance and so the scores have to be adjusted by handicapping. Water ballast is not allowed).
• World Class (The International Gliding Commission which is part of the FAI and an associated body called Organisation Scientifique et Technique du Vol à Voile (OSTIV) announced a competition in 1989 for a low-cost sailplane, which had moderate performance, was easy to assemble and to handle, and was safe for low hours pilots to fly. The winning design was announced in 1993 as the PZL PW-5. This allows competitions be run with only one type of glider.