SSA Member
Resource Book
Table of Contents
The SSA organizes and sanctions regional and national soaring competitions for sailplanes. The competition classes are:
| Open class - | has few restrictions and includes the world's highest-performance sailplanes. |
| 15-Meter class - | includes all sailplanes whose wingspan does not exceed 15 meters. |
| Standard class - | includes 15-meter sailplanes that do not employ flaps to change the wing profile. |
| Sports class - | a class open to all sailplanes, with handicaps to equalize performance. |
Divisions within the SSA also sponsor competitions for Motorgliders and for the Schweizer 1-26 sailplane or World Class Sailplane.
A sailplane race typically lasts five to ten days, with competition taking place on any day when the weather is suitable. Each day involves a race from the home airport, around turnpoints, and back to the home field. In really weak weather, the course might be as little as 50 miles; in excellent weather it could be 300 miles or more (the longest task in any U.S. competition to date has been 626 miles). The pilot who flies the fastest is the winner and typically receives 1000 points; others receive fewer points based on the speed or distance they achieve. The contest winner is the pilot with the greatest point total at the end of the competition.
Regional competitions are held all across the country, typically lasting 5 to 7 days and involving 30 to 50 gliders in several competition classes. A National Championship competition is held for each competition class each year. National competitions last 10 days and typically include 20 to 50 gliders.
Competition pilots are amateurs who compete not for monetary rewards, but simply out of love for the sport. Those who do well in National competitions are eligible for selection to the U.S. Soaring Team, which competes in World Gliding Competitions (held every other year).
As a part of organizing sailplane competition, the SSA maintains the rules by which competitions are conducted; copies of these Rules are available from the SSA office.
