Editing Hang gliding (section)

== Competition ==
Competitions started with "flying as long as possible" and spot landings. With increasing performance, cross-country flying has largely replaced them. Usually two to four waypoints have to be passed with a landing at a goal. In the late 1990s low-power [[Global Positioning System|GPS]] units were introduced and have completely replaced photographs of the goal. Every two years there is a world championship. The Rigid and Women's World Championship in 2006 was hosted by {{usurped|1=[https://web.archive.org/web/19970408064109/http://questairforce.com/ Quest Air in Florida]}}. [[Big Spring, Texas|Big Spring]], [[Texas]] hosted the 2007  World Championship. Hang gliding is also one of the competition categories in [[World Air Games]] organized by [[Fédération Aéronautique Internationale]] (World Air Sports Federation - FAI), which maintains a chronology of the FAI World Hang Gliding Championships.<ref name="fai3">{{cite web|url=http://events.fai.org/hgpg/chronology.asp?id=11|publisher=events.fai.org|title=Chronology of the FAI World Hang Gliding Championships|access-date=30 April 2017|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20091004132806/http://events.fai.org/hgpg/chronology.asp?id=11|archive-date=4 October 2009}}</ref>

Other forms of competition include Aerobatic competitions, and Speedgliding competitions, wherein the goal is to descend from a mountain as fast as possible while passing through various gates in a manner similar to down-hill skiing.

=== Classes ===
[[Image:Hg rheinebene aug2000.jpg|thumb|right|Modern 'flexible wing' hang glider]]
For competitive purposes, there are three classes of hang glider:<ref>[https://www.fai.org/page/civl-hang-gliding FAI Hang Gliding and Paragliding Commission]. Classes of hang gliders.</ref>
* Class 1 The ''flexible wing'' hang glider, having flight controlled by virtue of the shifted weight of the pilot. This is not a [[paraglider]]. Class 1 hang gliders sold in the United States are usually rated by the Hang Gliders Manufacturers' Association.<ref>[http://www.hgma.net/ Hang Gliders Manufacturers' Association] - Home site.</ref>
* Class 5 The ''rigid wing'' hang glider, having flight controlled by [[spoiler (aeronautics)|spoiler]]s, typically on top of the wing. In both flexible and rigid wings the pilot hangs below the wing without any additional [[Aircraft fairing|fairing]].
* Class 2 (designated by the [[Fédération Aéronautique Internationale|FAI]] as Sub-Class O-2) where the pilot is integrated into the wing by means of a fairing. These offer the best performance and are the most expensive.