On Monday, 20 April 2020 15:50:18 UTC+3, Roy B. wrote:
Friends:
I thought that it would be interesting to start a discussion on whether the FAI and different countries should begin to recognize 18 meters as a separate category for distance and speed records. The class has become very popular, even more popular than was the 15m class when those were merged with standard class for records, and there is such a wide variation in Open Class performance today that 18 meters is a bit disadvantaged as a part of that class. Many 18 meter gliders are being build and sold now and the class is succeeding more so than some separate classes that are recognized. Do any national organizations now recognize 18 meter as a separate record category? The USA does not. Has the FAI considered this recently? Are there reasons to not do it?
I don't recall a previous post on this subject, was there?
ROY

FAI: no it has not. Too many records, too many classes, they just inflate the whole idea. You can fly as fast with modern 18m class glider as anything else.