In Germany all glider pilots must pass a complete exam of all the rules just as a motorised pilot does, including a medical. It is only legal to do cloud flying if you have the rating for it... it requires special training and is quite restricted.
Gliders are not required to stay VFR in the UK in class G airspace.
I can't really believe that! Here gliders must stay in VMC at all times!
There will allways be idiots that don't stick to the rules and make life difficult for the rest of us. Two summers ago a glider was seen in Class "C" airspace above Frankfurt!! An Airbus just managed to see and avoid him!
And there will come a day, because of air traffic congestion (and such incidents as above), that they will be required to have a transonder (as soon as the industry manages to put out small, light-weight ones that don't eat up the batterie power).
wishing you all an accident free gliding season in 2004
Westy (also a glider pilot, among single-engine and hot-air balloon
)