With the advent of satellite navigation equipment at an affordable price, glider pilots can provide precise evidence of position without using either ground-based observers or photography. Now that photographic evidence is no longer allowed, there are two types of recording devices available, depending on the level of the flight:
IGC-Approved Flight Recorder (FR)
A device for recording the position and altitude of the glider using GNSS satellite data and barometric pressure for which an IDC-approval document has been issued by the GNSS FR Approval Committee (GFAC). There are three levels of approval:
- For all flights (badges, diplomas and records).
- For all badge and diploma Flights.
- For badge flights up to diamonds only.
Position Recorder
A stand-alone GPS unit (different from an IGC-approved flight recorder) which may be used for position (Lat/Long) evidence for silver and gold flights only, under special rules given in the Appendix to Chapter 4 of Section 3 of the FAI Sporting Code.
The following pages give more details of these devices, with links to relevant rules and approval documents.
