PLT OF A PITTS SPECIAL BIPLANE STRUCK A RWY LIGHT WITH THE WINGTIP DURING LNDG ON THE RWY EDGE DUE TO A GLIDER OCCUPYING THE RWY APCH AREA. THE ACFT RECEIVED ONLY MINOR WINGTIP DAMAGE.

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AMES; IA; RWY 13; GRASS. GLIDER ACTIVITY AT AMES USES RWY 13 GRASS FOR LNDG; RWY 13 HARD SURFACE FOR DEP. I ENTERED THE PATTERN AT 1500 FT AGL FROM THE W; OBSERVED GLIDER AIRBORNE. AS I WAS WAITING FOR GLIDER TO LAND; GLIDER AND TOW PLANE DEPARTED RWY 13 HARD SURFACE. GLIDER LANDED ON RWY 13 GRASS. AS I WAS ORBITING; WAITING FOR GLIDER TO CLR RWY; GLIDER AND TOW PLANE PASSED UNDERNEATH ME ON DOWNWIND. GLIDER WOULD NOT VACATE RWY 13 GRASS. I MADE LOW PASS AND THEY STARTED TO MOVE THE GLIDER TO THE APCH END OF RWY 13 GRASS. RWY 13 GRASS APPROX 2000 FT LONG. GLIDER AND GND CREW ON APCH END OF RWY 13 GRASS. I ENTERED CIRCLE TO LAND FOR RWY 13 GRASS. GLIDER WAS ON L SIDE OF APCH END TO RWY 13 GRASS. GND PERSONNEL LETHARGICALLY WALKING TO S SIDE OF RWY. IN KEEPING PERSONNEL IN SIGHT; I CHOSE THE L SIDE OF RWY 13 GRASS. PERSONNEL HAD STILL NOT VACATED APCH AS I PASSED. LANDED ON L SIDE OF RWY 13 GRASS; TOUCHDOWN AND ROLLOUT UNEVENTFUL; TOUCHED LNDG LIGHT WITH LAST 6 INCHES OF WINGTIP -- MINIMAL DAMAGE. RECOMMENDATION: JUST BECAUSE GLIDERS AND TOW PLANES HAVE THE RIGHT-OF-WAY IN THE AIR; DOES NOT MEAN THEY OWN THE ARPT AND LNDG AREAS. IT WOULD BE APPRECIATED IF THEY WOULD REALIZE THIS AND ACCOMMODATE US; AS WE ARE FORCED TO ACCOMMODATE THEM.