The FAA is now conducting a "public meeting" via Internet on the sightseeing
NPRM. I have not seen any comments there (other than my own) from glider
people. I really suggest that you take another look at that NPRM, read the
comments, read the responses from the FAA, and say your piece.

Interest from the glider community dropped quickly when we all noticed a
comment in the introduction to the NPRM that the "rule is intended to
regulate commercial air tours conducted in powered aircraft only". I
searched the NPRM in vain for the exemption for gliders and did not find it,
so I asked a specific question and got the following in response from the
FAA.

"TYPES OF AIRCRAFT A quote from the NPRM page 60572, "While some commercial
air tours are conducted in hot air balloons and gliders, this proposed rule
is intended to regulate commercial air tours conducted in powered aircraft
only". After the NPRM got published we realized this statement is in error.
Hot air balloons have power; the hot air. Are there cold air balloons? Some
gliders are powered and some are not. Some of you have commented that we
should use one level of safety and treat operators of all types of aircraft
alike. The intent was to capture airplanes and helicopters, both single
engine and multi-engine."

It seems that we will not be so exempt! I strongly suggest that more glider
people participate in the "Virtual public meeting" that goes on for a few
more days at: http://66.89.54.45/

Vaughn