I Suspect this is more of an issue of what is not in the FAR's than
what is.

I don't think the FAR's specificially say that glider assembly
requires an A&P Sign off. It did at one time require an A&P or owner
sign off but I believe this has been removed.

Here is a portion of the SSA letter dated 1998 addressing this issue
from the SSA Members Web Page.

The FAA is amending Parts 43 and 61 to discontinue classifying glider
and balloon assembly as preventive maintenance, except in certain
circumstances; add training requirements for pilots in preflight
responsibilities of gliders and balloons; and add preflight assembly
and post assembly inspections to the preflight responsibilities for
glider and balloon pilots. The editorial versions to Part 91 are
intended to make the amendments to parts 43 and 61 consistent with the
maintenance record requirements of Part 91.

The primary objective of the final rule is to ensure continued
assignment of responsibilities for preflight assembly inspection of
gliders and balloons and at the same time reduce the record keeping
burden on the public.

The principal area of interest in the rule is the change affecting the
installation of glider wings and tail surfaces, specifically designed
for quick disassembly and assembly by pilots, and the installation of
balloon baskets and burners, specifically designed for quick removal by
the pilot. The deletion of these requirements from the list of items
classified as preventive maintenance would relieve glider and balloon
operators from the burden of complying with the recording requirements
of 43.9 for the preflight assembly of gliders and balloons. FAA records
of accidents and incidents indicate that improper assembly has not
played a significant role in glider or balloon accidents. In this
context, these amendments would not derogate safety and would not
impose costs. The FAA, therefore, finds that these amendments would
involve only unquantifiable benefits since glider and balloon operators
would no longer be required to make the maintenance record entries
specified in 43.9.

http://www.ssa.org/members/news/List...?Action=&id=15

I suppose it could be subjective as to what constitues a quick assembly
design. However I assembly my 1-26 in less than 15 minutes and did so
every time I flew. I doubt you see many log book entries at the 1-26
nationals either.


Brian