"Sydney Hoeltzli" wrote in message ...


I thought a glider had right-of-way over a powered aircraft, unless
the powered aircraft is "in distress". (per 91.113)

You need to read 91.113. The class preference only applies to
aircraft converging at near the same altitude at other than head-on
(or nearly-so). It doesn't say that some clown out noodling around
looking for a thermal trying not landing can interfere with landing
traffic.

Where does it say this doesn't apply on final approach?

Where does it say he does?

If the glider
has the lower altitude, doesn't he actually have the right-of-way?

Not if he's not landing. The premise was that he was out there noodling
around for lift and might dive to the runway if he can't find any. That's
specifically not permitted by 91.113(g).

The FAA has consistantly held that the rules that apply to landing mean
you are actually intending to land. High speed low approaches, for instance,
were held that since you weren't intending to land you couldn't have out of 91.119.

If the glider pilot wants to land, safely. Let him do so. But the scenario is
that he was going to noodle around interfering with landing traffic without any
intent to land, but rahter to stretch his XC time.