What is the glide ratio of a sailplane?
One measure of performance is the glide ratio. A ratio of 30:1 means that in smooth air a glider can travel forward 30 meters while losing only 1 meter of altitude.
What is a good glide ratio for a glider?
It is good to know what your “best” glide ratio is, such as most single engine training airplanes are in the 9:1 glide ratio. Glider certification requires a 7:1 glide ratio, which is close to an 8 degree glideslope.
How do I calculate my glider range?
A shortcut way to compute glide range in nautical miles for any given glider is to divide the published glide ratio by 6. So, an aircraft with a 24:1 glide ratio will go 4 NM, one with a 54:1 glide ratio will go 9 NM, etc.
How much is a sailplane?
New, factory-built sailplanes may cost $50,000 to over $300,000 or more depending on performance, construction, and equipment. Excellent kits for homebuilding are on the market, enabling enthusiasts to produce a sailplane at a cost of one-third to two-thirds that of a factory-built machine.
How long can a sailplane stay in the air?
Gliders can remain flying as long as there is lift available. Using thermals, this is about 8 hours. By using prevailing winds blowing up a slope, a glider can be flown for as long as the wind is blowing.
How far can you glide in a glider?
Modern gliders can have glide ratios better than 60:1. This means they can glide for 60 miles if they start at an altitude of one mile. For comparison, a commercial jetliner might have glide ratios somewhere around 17:1.
What is a glider ratio?
Glide ratio is the number of feet a glider travels horizontally in still air for every foot of altitude lost. If a glider has a 50:1 glide ratio, then it travels 50 feet for every foot of altitude lost.
What glide shape is best?
The best shape for an airplane or glider would look like the ASH-30mi, an open class glider with an 86.9ft wingspan, and a 41:1 aspect ratio (wing length to wing chord). It has a glide ratio exceeding 60:1, and is considered the state of the art for gliders.
What V speed is best glide?
Other V-speeds
| V-speed designator | Description |
|---|---|
| V BG | Best power-off glide speed – the speed that provides maximum lift-to-drag ratio and thus the greatest gliding distance available. |
| V BR | Best range speed – the speed that gives the greatest range for fuel consumed – often identical to Vmd. |
What does a 9 to 1 glide ratio mean?
The maximum L/D ratio (L/Dmax) of a Cessna 172 is about 9, so its glide ratio is about 9:1 – for every 9 units traveled forward it will lose 1 unit of altitude. So, it will glide about 9,000 feet for every 1,000 feet of altitude available. This is a fairly typical value for small planes.
What is the best glide angle?
All aircraft have a given best glide angle. It can be a moderate angle like the Cessna 150 at about 7 degrees, to a steep angle of 15 to 20 degrees for airplanes that don’t glide as well; or it could be extraordinarily shallow, at less than 3 degrees for gliders.