4.1.1 The competitors shall provide sailplanes, trailers, retrieve cars, and other equipment, including GNSS Flight Recorders, radios, oxygen systems, parachutes, and survival equipment of a performance and standard suitable for the event.
a. The airworthiness, safety and safe operation of competing sailplanes and any associated equipment and vehicles, as appropriate, shall be the responsibility of the competitors at all times.
b. Each occupant of a competing sailplane shall use seat belt and shoulder harness and wear a serviceable parachute on each competition flight.
The Organisers may specify additional mandatory equipment if the conditions of their country so require.
4.1.2 Each competing sailplane shall be flown within the limitations of its Certificate of Airworthiness or Permit to Fly and:
a. Must have been issued a valid Certificate of Airworthiness or Permit to Fly not excluding competitions.
b. Shall be made available to the Organisers at least 72 hours before the briefing on the first championship day for an acceptance check in the configuration in which it will be flown. This configuration shall be kept unchanged during the whole competition. No instruments permitting pilots to fly without visual reference to the ground may be carried on board, even if made unserviceable. The Organisers may specify instruments covered by this rule in their Local Procedures .
Configuration refers to the shape, and dimensions of the primary structure of the sailplane and includes movable controlling surfaces, landing gear, winglets, and wing tip extensions. The configuration is considered to be changed if the shape, or dimensions of the primary structure are altered, or, for a motor-glider, if either the engine installation or the propeller is modified. “Instruments” includes any portable devices which use a gyro or inertial platform or high precision GNSS positioning and/ or attitude sensing technology.
Any navigational equipment is permitted.
The Organisers will state in their Local Procedures if they require competing sailplanes to:
4.1.3 Damage to a sailplane must be reported to the Organisers without delay. A damaged sailplane may be repaired. The following items may be replaced instead of being repaired: control surfaces; the complete horizontal stabiliser; airbrakes or flap surfaces; canopy; undercarriage gear and doors; propellers; non-structural fairings; and, wing tips and winglets but not the entire outer wing panels.
If the damage was no fault of the pilot, the whole sailplane or any part of it may be replaced with the consent of the director of the Championships. Landing damage is normally assumed to be the fault of the pilot.
4.1.4 A competitor involved in a collision in the air shall not continue the flight but land as soon as practicable. Both pilots will be scored as having landed at the position at which the collision occurred.
4.1.5 During the Championships, on days when tasks are set, sailplanes entered in the event may only be flown on Championship tasks, except that the Organisers, at their discretion, may permit a sailplane to be test flown.
4.1.6 The Organisers have the right to inspect a competing sailplane at any time during the Championship up to the Prize Giving.
4.2.1 The following sporting maximum take-off masses and limitations shall be enforced:
a. Open Class – 750 kg, except that two-seater motor-gliders that exceed 750 kg may be flown at their actual mass but may not carry disposable ballast and may not exceed 850 kg.
b. 18 M Class – 600 kg.
c. 15 M and Standard Classes – 525 kg.
d. Club Class – no water ballast permitted.
e. World Class – 300 kg.
f. Organisers may impose additional restrictions to the above maximum take-off masses to take into account any operational factors such as obstacles, airfield limits, runway and tow plane limitations, and prevailing weather.
The certificated maximum mass may not be exceeded under any circumstances.
4.2.2 Checking take-off mass shall normally be completed before the sailplanes reach the grid. Adding mass beyond the weighing point is prohibited.
The procedures for establishing the mass of the World Class glider are set out in Appendix 1 to this Annex. The Local Procedures shall give details of the procedures for checking the mass for all Classes.
4.3.1 The contest numbers, as validated by the Organisers, shall be displayed:
a. On the underside of the right wing, approximately 2.5 m from the centreline of the sailplane with the top of the figures or letters towards the wing leading edge. The height of the letters or figures should be not less than 80% of the wing chord.
b. On both sides of the tail fin and/or rudder. These must be at least 30 cm high.
c. On the glider trailer and crew car.
4.3.2 Contest numbers shall consist of not more than three letters or figures or a combination of letters and figures in a plain block style with a single colour that contrasts strongly with the sailplane's background colour.
4.3.3 The Organisers may require competitors to modify contest numbers that they deem to be similar, confusing or not complying with this paragraph 4.3. Competitors not complying with the Organiser's requirements may be denied competition launches.
Contest numbers on the sailplane and vehicles not only assist the Organiser’s and other competitors to identify the sailplane, but also enable the public and the media to identify the sailplane, the pilot, the crew and the country.