Glide ratio is an aviation term that refers to the distance an aircraft will move forward for any given amount of lost altitude (the cotangent of the downward angle). ... An aircraft is any machine capable of atmospheric flight. ... Trigonometry In trigonometry, the cotangent is a function (see trigonometric function) defined as: or An interpretation of the cotangent of an angle x is as follows. ...

For instance, general aviation aircraft like the Cessna 150 will move forward 7 feet for every foot of altitude lost, resulting in a glide ratio of 7:1. A modern sailplane may have a glide ratio as high as 60:1, with fabric hang gliders averaging about 10:1 and airliners about 25:1. General aviation (GA) encompasses all aviation other than scheduled airline flights and military aviation. ... 1973 Cessna C150L The Cessna 150 is a two-seat tricycle gear general aviation airplane, originally designed for flight training. ... Gliders are un-powered heavier-than-air aircraft. ... Hang gliding is one of the windsports. ... An airliner is a large fixed-wing aircraft (an aeroplane/airplane) initially designed for the transport of paying passengers, and usually operated by an airline company (which owns or leases the aircraft). ...

The glide ratio of an aircraft is often strongly correlated to the efficiency of the wing, known as the lift-to-drag ratio. Overall drag is also important, for instance a cargo plane will typically have a lower glide ratio than a passenger plane, but in generally these differences are a smaller effect than the wing itself. In computing, WinG (pronounced Win Gee) was an API to provide fast graphics performance on Windows 3. ... In aerodynamics, the lift-to-drag ratio, or L/D ratio (ell-over-dee, as opposed to ell-dee), is the amount of lift generated by a wing, compared to the drag it creates by moving through the air. ...

Importance of the glide ratio in gliding

Although the best glide ratio is important when measuring the performance of a glider, its ability to achieve a good glide ratio at high speed determines its success when racing (see article on gliding). A modern glider crossing the finish line at speed Gliding (or soaring) is a recreational activity and competitive sport where individuals fly un-powered aeroplanes known as gliders or sailplanes. ... Gliders are un-powered heavier-than-air aircraft. ... A modern glider crossing the finish line at speed Gliding (or soaring) is a recreational activity and competitive sport where individuals fly un-powered aeroplanes known as gliders or sailplanes. ...

The loss of height can be measured at several speeds and plotted on a "polar curve" to calculate the best speed to fly in various conditions, such as when flying into wind or when in sinking air. Other polar curves can be measured by loading the glider with water ballast. When ballast is carried, the best glide ratio is achieved at higher speeds. Gliders are un-powered heavier-than-air aircraft. ...

See also

• Approach slope