1.0 General

1.0.1 The General Section of the Sporting Code contains general definitions and rules applying to all air sports.
This Section (SC3) gives specific rules that apply to gliders (GS 2.2.1.4 Class D). Rules for motor gliders (Class DM) are also included in this section.

Gliding aerobatic competition is covered in Section 6, hang gliders and paragliders (GS 2.2.1.13, class O) in Section 7, and microlights (GS 2.2.1.15, class R) in Section 10.

1.0.2 Section 3 rules apply to all glider flights for FAI badges and world records.

1.0.3 Section 3 includes annexes that contain specialised rules and guidance:

a. Annex A Contains rules and other details on world and all other FAI-sanctioned gliding competitions.

b. Annex B Covers requirements for equipment used for flight validation.

c. Annex C Gives non-regulatory guidance, methods and sample calculations to assist Official Observers and pilots in complying with SC3.

The FAI document, "Technical Specifications for IGC-Approved GNSS Flight Recorders" gives information required by manufacturers of flight recorders.

1.0.4 GLIDER A glider is a fixed wing aerodyne capable of sustained soaring flight and having no means of propulsion. Class D is the FAI Class for gliders and includes Class DM for motor gliders. For records, gliders fall within one of the following sub-classes:

a. OPEN any glider.

b. 15 METRE any glider with a wingspan not exceeding 15,000 mm.

c. WORLD a PW-5 glider as defined in Chapter 7.7.5.

d. ULTRALIGHT a glider with a takeoff mass not xceeding 220 kg, and a MICROLIFT glider is an ULTRALIGHT glider with a wingloading not exceeding 18 kg/m².

MICROLIFT gliders do not have separate world records.

Championship classes are defined in Chapter 7.7

1.0.5 MOTOR GLIDER A fixed wing aerodyne equipped with a means of propulsion (MoP), capable of sustained soaring flight without thrust from the means of propulsion.

1.0.6 Terms, rules, and requirements are defined first in their most general sense. Where an exception to a general rule exists, it will be described in the paragraph of the
Code where the exception occurs.