A sailplane, or glider, is an aircraft without an engine. Sailplanes are made out of a variety of materials, such as wood and fabric or more modern composite materials. In general, sailplanes are comprised of the following basic components: the fuselage with the cockpit where the pilot resides; the empennage with the vertical and horizontal tails and rudder; the elevator; and the wings, each equipped with an aileron. The pilot controls the roll movement of the sailplane with the ailerons. Yaw, or the side to side movement of the nose of the sailplane is controlled with the rudder. The up and down movement of the nose of the sailplane, known as the pitch, is controlled with the elevator. Many modern sailplanes are also now equipped with winglets which are gracefully curved stationary extensions at the tip of each wing designed to help minimize drag and maximize lift. Flight computers that have GPS capabilities and use GIS data, such as digital topographic maps and other data such as airports, restricted airspace, or landmarks, are now used in many sailplanes to assist the pilot with navigation.

The ailerons, rudder, and elevator in many ways, reproduce in the sailplane the more subtle functions of a raptors wing, and, more importantly feathers. Like the feathers on the broad wings of a raptor, the slightest alteration in any one of these elements changes the performance of the sailplane. These factors are why research, in the long-standing tradition of the Wright Brothers, into the design elements of sailplanes, continues.

One of the more unique approaches to sailplane design and research in Pennsylvania is the Sailplane Class at Penn State University. Since 1989, the Department of Aerospace Engineering at Penn State has offered a special undergraduate course, Aerospace 204H/404H, that offers a hands on learning environment for students interested in designing and fabricating modern high-performance sailplanes. While enrolled in the course, students experience the cooperative, multi-disciplinary team environment that is required for solving the problems related to the design of an aerospace vehicle.