Gliding

Lift-to-drag ratio

An interactive lesson with 6 steps, about 5 minutes: you predict, drag and solve, with instant feedback on every answer. It runs in your browser and needs JavaScript.

What you’ll learn

• Glide distance = height × $L/D$.
• Sailplanes reach 40–60 : 1. Airliners manage about 15–20 : 1.
• Gliders stay up for hours by climbing in thermals.

Steps

1. Trading height for distance
2. How far can it glide?
3. Sinking slowly
4. Best glide speed
5. Sink rate
6. The Gimli Glider