# Microlift glider

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{{Short description|Class of gliders}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=December 2022}}
{{Use American English|date=December 2022}}
[[File:Steve arndt cd.jpg|thumb|upright=1.14|The [Arndt Magic Dragon](/source/Arndt_Magic_Dragon) microlift glider at Harris Hill, N.Y. The Magic Dragon is a development of the [Carbon Dragon](/source/Carbon_Dragon) design.]]

A '''microlift glider''' is a recreational [glider](/source/Glider_aircraft) that is able to exploit microlift, which is [lift](/source/lift_(soaring)) weaker than a conventional [glider](/source/Glider_(sailplane)) would require to stay airborne.

==Classification==
The [Fédération Aéronautique Internationale](/source/F%C3%A9d%C3%A9ration_A%C3%A9ronautique_Internationale) [Gliding Commission](/source/FAI_Gliding_Commission)'s Sporting Code defines the [classes](/source/Glider_competition_classes) for [gliding competitions](/source/gliding_competitions) and records. One of the classes is the ultralight glider. These are defined as gliders with a take-off mass not exceeding 220&nbsp;kg (486&nbsp;lb). Examples of these are the [Apis](/source/Albastar_Apis_WR) and [Silent 2](/source/Alisport_Silent_2). Microlift gliders are a sub-type of the ultralight class, further defined by a [wing loading](/source/wing_loading) that does not exceed 18&nbsp;kg/m<sup>2</sup> (3.69&nbsp;lb/ft<sup>2</sup>).These definitions were adopted for inclusion in the Sporting Code, Section 3, [Gliding](/source/Gliding), effective on October 1, 2004.<ref name="FAI1">{{cite web|url = http://www.fai.org/gliding/sc3.1.0#4|title = FAI Sporting Code|accessdate = 6 April 2012|last = Fédération Aéronautique Internationale|author-link = Fédération Aéronautique Internationale|date = n.d. |archiveurl = https://web.archive.org/web/20080621012626/http://www.fai.org/gliding/sc3.1.0 |archivedate = 21 June 2008}}</ref>

World records for the ultralight class have been recognized by the FAI but there are no [World Championships](/source/World_Gliding_Championships) for these types at present. For world records microlift gliders are classed with the other ultralight gliders and/or hang gliders.<ref name="FAI1" />

The FAI has produced a loaded weight versus wing loading diagram defining the different domains for glider classes.<ref name="FAI2">{{cite web|url = http://www.fai.org/gliding/documents/microlift.pdf|title = Development of the Microlift Glider|accessdate = 6 April 2012|last = Morelli|first = Piero|date = 16 September 2004 |archiveurl = https://web.archive.org/web/20090227193024/http://www.fai.org/gliding/documents/microlift.pdf |archivedate = 27 February 2009}}</ref>

==Characteristics==
In addition to the traditional [forms of lift](/source/Lift_(soaring)) used in the sport of [gliding](/source/gliding), microlift gliding also aims to exploit non-traditional sources of weak lift. In typical conditions, conventional [sailplane](/source/sailplane)s may be unable to exploit weak vertical movements of air. However a microlift glider that is specifically designed to have a very low rate of sink and a very small circling radius, may be able to exploit these feeble air movements for sustained flight and may even allow the glider to climb.<ref>"OSTIV Sailplane Development Panel of the Microlift Glider" by Piero Morelli.</ref><ref>Gary Osoba, "Toward a 20 Hour Work-Week" ''Sailplane Builder'', July 1995.</ref>

==Microlift gliders ==
[[Image:Lighthawk.jpg|thumb|The [Glidersport LightHawk](/source/Glidersport_LightHawk), with its complex wing design.]]
*[Advanced Aeromarine Sierra](/source/Advanced_Aeromarine_Sierra)
*[Aériane Swift](/source/A%C3%A9riane_Swift)
*[Bailey-Moyes Tempest](/source/Bailey-Moyes_Tempest)
*[EEL ULF 1](/source/EEL_ULF_1)
*[Glidersport LightHawk](/source/Glidersport_LightHawk)
*[Maupin Carbon Dragon](/source/Maupin_Carbon_Dragon)
*[Ruppert Archaeopteryx](/source/Ruppert_Archaeopteryx)
*[Neutrino](/source/Neutrino)
*[https://1comet.com/ 1comet]

== References ==
{{Reflist}}

Category:Hang gliding
*

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Adapted from the Wikipedia article [Microlift glider](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Microlift_glider) by Wikipedia contributors ([contributor history](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Microlift_glider?action=history)). Available under [Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/). Changes may have been made.