Gliders or Sailplanes are heavier-than-air aircraft primarily intended for unpowered flight. See also gliding and motor gliders for more details.^[1] Gliders are heavier-than-air aircraft primarily intended for unpowered flight A paraglider is a free-flying, foot-launched aircraft. ... Flying machine redirects here. ... A modern glider crossing the finish line of a competition at high speed. ... Gliders are un-powered heavier-than-air aircraft. ...

A single-seat high performance fiberglass Glaser-Dirks DG-808 over the Lac de Serre Ponçon in the French Alps

A DG808 glider over the Lac de Serre-Ponçon in the French Alps. ... A DG808 glider over the Lac de Serre-Ponçon in the French Alps. ...

Terminology

A "glider" is an unpowered aircraft. The most common types of glider are today used for sporting purposes. The design of these types enables them to climb using rising air and then to glide for long distances before finding the next source of lift. This has created the sport of gliding, or soaring. The term "sailplane" is sometimes used for these types, implying a glider with a high soaring performance. In addition to high-performance sailplanes, the term 'glider' also encompasses hang gliders and paragliders. Like sailplanes these can use upwardly moving air to soar but differ in not having a fuselage, control surfaces or a control column. Flying machine redirects here. ... A modern glider crossing the finish line of a competition at high speed. ... Hang gliding is one of the windsports. ... Paragliding is a recreational and competitive flying sport. ...

Although many gliders do not have engines, there are some that use engines occasionally (see Motor glider). The manufacturers of high-performance gliders now often list an optional engine and a retractable propeller that can be used to sustain flight if required; these are known as 'self-sustaining' gliders. Some can even launch themselves and are known as 'self-launching' gliders. There are also 'touring motor gliders', which can switch off their engines in flight though without retracting their propellers. The term "pure glider" (or equivalently, but less commonly "pure sailplane") may be used to distinguish a totally unpowered glider from a motorized glider, without implying any differential in gliding or soaring performance. Gliders are un-powered heavier-than-air aircraft. ...

History

In China, kites rather than gliders were used for military reconnaissance. However the Extensive Records of the Taiping Era (978) suggests that a true glider was designed in the 5th century BC by Lu Ban, a contemporary of Confucius.^[2] There is also a report from the History of Northern Dynasties (659) and Zizhi Tongjian (1084) that Yuan Huangtou in Ye made a successful glide, taking off from a tower in 559.^[3] For other uses, see Kite (disambiguation). ... The Extensive Records of the Taiping Era (Chinese: ; pinyin: Tàipíng GuÇŽngjì) is a collection of stories compiled under the editorship of Li Fang, first published in 978. ... Lu Ban (Chinese: 鲁班; Pinyin: LÇ” Bān, ?-?) was a famous architect of ancient China. ... Confucius (Chinese: ; pinyin: ; Wade-Giles: Kung-fu-tzu), lit. ... The History of Northern Dynasties (Chinese: ; pinyin: BÄ›ishǐ) is one of the official Chinese historical works in the Twenty-Four Histories canon. ... Zizhi Tongjian (traditional Chinese character: 資治通鑑; simplified Chinese character: 资治通鉴; pinyin Zīzhì Tōngjìan, Wade-Giles Tzu-chih tung-chien) is known to be a important Chinese history text of annual chronology. ... Yuan Huangtou(chinese:zh:元黄头) was the son of emperor Yuan Lang of Eastern Wei. ... Ye was a city in ancient China. ...

Abbas Ibn Firnas invented the first weight shift aircraft ( hang glider) and is also claimed as the inventor of the first manned glider in 875 by fixing feathers to a wooden frame fitted to his arms or back. Written accounts at the time suggest that he made a ten minute flight.^[4] Abbas was seriously injured in the resulting crash.^[5][6][7] Abbas Ibn Firnas, or Abbas Qasim Ibn Firnas (Unknown- 887 A.D.) was a Spanish-Arab humanitarian, technologist, and chemist. ... Hang gliding is one of the windsports. ...

Otto Lilienthal in flight

The first heavier-than-air (i.e. non-balloon) aircraft to be flown in Europe was Sir George Cayley's series of gliders which achieved brief wing-borne hops from around 1804. Santos Dumont, Otto Lilienthal, Percy Pilcher, John J. Montgomery, and the Wright Brothers are other pioneers who built gliders to develop aviation. After the First World War gliders were built for sporting purposes in Germany (See link to Rhön-Rossitten Gesellschaft) and in the United States (Schweizer brothers). The sporting use of gliders rapidly evolved in the 1930s and is now the main application. As their performance improved gliders began to be used to fly cross-country and now regularly fly hundreds or even thousands of kilometers in a day, if the weather is suitable. Image File history File links Otto_flying. ... Image File history File links Otto_flying. ... Otto Lilienthal Otto Lilienthal (23 May 1848 – 10 August 1896), the German Glider King, was a pioneer of human aviation. ... Sir George Cayley (27 December 1773 - 15 December 1857) was an exuberant polymath from Brompton-by-Sawdon, near Scarborough in Yorkshire. ... Santos-Dumont in his trademark Panama hat. ... Otto Lilienthal Otto Lilienthal (23 May 1848 – 10 August 1896), the German Glider King, was a pioneer of human aviation. ... Percy Sinclair Pilcher (January 1866 — 2 October 1899) was a British inventor and pioneer aviator who, in one of the big what if events of history, could well have become the first person to achieve controlled, powered, heavier-than-air flight well before the Wright brothers had he not been... John Joseph Montgomery (c. ... The Wright brothers, Orville (August 19, 1871–January 30, 1948) and Wilbur (April 16, 1867–May 30, 1912), were two Americans generally credited with building the worlds first successful airplane and making the first controlled, powered and heavier-than-air human flight on December 17, 1903. ... Aviation encompasses all the activities relating to airborne devices created by human ingenuity, generally known as aircraft. ... Ypres, 1917, in the vicinity of the Battle of Passchendaele. ... Founded in 1924, the Rhön-Rositten Gesellschaft (Rhön & Rositten society) became the first official organization for glider and sailplane flying, training and research. ... Paul, William (Bill), and Ernest Schweizer were three brothers who started building gliders in 1930. ...

Military gliders were then developed by a number of countries, particularly during World War II, for landing troops. A glider was even built secretly by POWs as a potential escape method at Oflag IV-C near the end of the war in 1944. The space shuttle orbiters do not use their engines after re-entry at the end of each spaceflight, and so land as gliders. Gliders built by the military of various countries were used for carrying troops and heavy equipment, mainly during the Second World War. ... Combatants Allied powers: China France Great Britain Soviet Union United States and others Axis powers: Germany Italy Japan and others Commanders Chiang Kai-shek Charles de Gaulle Winston Churchill Joseph Stalin Franklin Roosevelt Adolf Hitler Benito Mussolini Hideki Tōjō Casualties Military dead: 17,000,000 Civilian dead: 33,000... Geneva Convention definition A prisoner of war (POW) is a soldier, sailor, airman, or marine who is imprisoned by an enemy power during or immediately after an armed conflict. ... Prisoners made numerous attempts to escape Oflag IV-C, one of the most famous German Army prisoner-of-war camps for officers in World War II. The camp was located in Colditz Castle, situated on a cliff overlooking the town of Colditz in Saxony. ... This article does not cite any references or sources. ... ISS in earth orbit. ...

Launch methods

Main article: Gliding

The two most common methods of launching gliders are by aerotow and by winch. When aerotowed, the glider is towed behind a powered aircraft using a rope about 60 meters (about 200 ft) long. The glider's pilot releases the rope after reaching the desired altitude, but the rope can also be released by the towplane in an emergency. Winch launching uses a powerful stationary engine located on the ground at the far end of the launch area. The glider is attached to one end of 800-1200 metres (about 2,500-4,000 ft) of wire cable and the winch then rapidly winds it in. More rarely, powerful automobiles are used to pull gliders into the air, by pulling them directly or through the use of a pulley in a similar manner to the winch launch. Elastic ropes can also be used to launch gliders off slopes if there is sufficient wind blowing up the hill. The glider will then gain height using ridge lift. A modern glider crossing the finish line of a competition at high speed. ...

Staying aloft without an engine

Main article: Gliding

Glider pilots can stay airborne for hours. This is possible because they seek out rising air masses (lift) from the following sources: A modern glider crossing the finish line of a competition at high speed. ...

Thermals

The most commonly used source of lift is created by the Sun's energy heating the ground which in turn heats the air above it. This warm air rises in columns known as thermals. Soaring pilots quickly become aware of visual indications of thermals such as: cumulus clouds, cloud streets, dust devils and haze domes. Also, nearly every glider contains an instrument known as a variometer (a very sensitive vertical speed indicator) which shows visually (and often audibly) the presence of lift and sink. Having located a thermal, a glider pilot will circle within the area of rising air to gain height. In the case of a cloud street thermals can line up with the wind creating rows of thermals and sinking air. A pilot can use a cloud street to fly long straightline distances by remaining in the row of rising air. Sol redirects here. ... This article is about the atmospheric phenomenon. ... This article is about the atmospheric phenomenon. ... This article or section does not adequately cite its references or sources. ... The term Variometer also refers to a type of tunable electrical transformer // Definition A variometer (also known as a rate-of-climb indicator, a vertical speed indicator (VSI), or a vertical velocity indicator (VVI)) is an instrument in an aircraft used to inform the pilot of the rate of descent...

Ridge lift (Orographic lift)

Another form of lift occurs when the wind meets a mountain, cliff or hill. The air is deflected up the windward face of the mountain forming lift. Gliders can climb in this rising air by flying along the feature. This is referred to as "ridge running" and has been used to set record distance flights along the Appalachians in the USA and the Andes Mountains in South America. Another name for flying with ridge lift is slope soaring. Windward is the side of a boat into which the wind is blowing. ... The Appalachian Mountains are a system of North American mountains running from Newfoundland and Labrador, Canada to Alabama in the United States, although the northernmost mainland portion ends at the Gaspe Peninsula of Quebec. ... This article is about the mountain system in South America. ... South America South America is a continent crossed by the equator, with most of its area in the Southern Hemisphere. ... What is a slope flying? 1. ...

Mountain wave

The third main type of lift used by glider pilots are the lee waves that occur near mountains. The obstruction to the airflow can generate standing waves with alternating areas of lift and sink. The top of each wave peak is often marked by lenticular cloud formations. Categories: Aeronautics | Meteorology | Stub ... Vibration and standing waves in a string, The fundamental and the first 6 overtones A standing wave, also known as a stationary wave, is a wave that remains in a constant position. ... Lenticular clouds, technically known as altocumulus standing lenticularis, are stationary lens-shaped clouds that form at high altitudes, normally aligned at right-angles to the wind direction. ...

Convergence

Another form of lift results from the convergence of air masses, as with a sea-breeze front. In the absence of a more specific context, convergence denotes the approach toward a definite value, as time goes on; or to a definite point, a common view or opinion, or toward a fixed or equilibrium state. ... For other uses, see Sea Breeze. ...

More exotic forms of lift are the polar vortices which the Perlan Project hopes to use to soar to great altitudes [1]. A rare phenomenon known as Morning Glory has also been used by glider pilots in Australia.^[8] The Perlan Project is a current research project to fly a sailplane to an altitude of 100,000 feet (30,480 meters). ... Map of Australia, the Gulf of Carpentaria can be found in northern Australia Satellite photo of a morning glory cloud over the Gulf of Carpentaria The Morning Glory cloud is a rare meteorological phenomena observed in Northern Australias Gulf of Carpentaria. ...

Moving forward

A typical training glider, Schleicher ASK 21 just before landing

After climbing in lift, gliders move on to find the next source of lift, or to land. As the glider descends, the air moving over the wings generates lift. The lift force acts slightly forward of vertical because it is created at right angles to the airflow which comes from slightly below as the glider descends, see Angle of attack. This horizontal component of lift is enough to balance drag and allows the glider to move forward. The ratio of lift to drag is the same as the height lost for each metre of forward travel, Glide ratio^[9]. Image File history File links Download high-resolution version (1024x680, 105 KB)Photograph of a Schleicher ASK 21 two seater glider being used for training in winter. ... Image File history File links Download high-resolution version (1024x680, 105 KB)Photograph of a Schleicher ASK 21 two seater glider being used for training in winter. ... The ASK 21 is a modern glass-reinforced plastic two-seater glider with a mid-set wing and a mass balanced T-tail. ... Lift consists of the sum of all the aerodynamic forces normal to the direction of the external airflow. ... In this diagram, the black arrow represents the direction of the wind. ... For a solid object moving through a fluid or gas, drag is the sum of all the aerodynamic or hydrodynamic forces in the direction of the external fluid flow. ... 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). ...

Glider design

Early gliders had no cockpit and the pilot sat on a small seat located just ahead of the wing. These were known as "primary gliders" and they were usually launched from the tops of hills, though they are also capable of short hops across the ground while being towed behind a vehicle. To enable gliders to soar more effectively than primary gliders, the designs minimized drag. Gliders now have very smooth, narrow fuselages and very long, narrow wings with a high aspect ratio. Cockpit of a light aircraft, showing instrumentation dials and dual control yokes. ... Primary glider is a blanket term used to describe extremley simple aircraft that enjoyed worldwide popularity during the 1920s and 1930s as people strove for simple and inexpensive ways to learn how to fly. ... An object falling through a gas or liquid experiences a force in direction opposite to its motion. ... The fuselage can be short, and seemingly unaerodynamic, as in this Christen Eagle 2 The fuselage (from the French fuselé spindle-shaped) is an aircrafts main body section that holds crew and passengers or cargo. ... The low aspect ratio wing of a Piper PA-28 Cherokee In aerodynamics, the aspect ratio is an airplanes wings span divided by its standard mean chord (SMC). ...

Typical modern glider cockpit. Click for details.

The early gliders were made mainly of wood with metal fastenings, stays and control cables. Later fuselages made of fabric-covered steel tube were married to wood and fabric wings for lightness and strength. New materials such as carbon-fiber, glass-fiber and Kevlar have since been used with computer-aided design to increase performance. The first glider to use glass-fiber extensively was the Akaflieg Stuttgart FS-24 Phönix which first flew in 1957. This material is still used because of its high strength to weight ratio and its ability to give a smooth exterior finish to reduce drag. Drag has also been minimized by more aerodynamic shapes and retractable undercarriages. Flaps are fitted on some gliders so that the optimal lift of the wing is available at all speeds. Image File history File linksMetadata Download high-resolution version (1188x1244, 99 KB) Photo taken by John DeRosa. ... Image File history File linksMetadata Download high-resolution version (1188x1244, 99 KB) Photo taken by John DeRosa. ... The Akaflieg Stuttgart FS-24 (Phönix) was the first glider to use glass fibre in its construction. ... Flaps are hinged surfaces on the trailing edge of an airplane wing which, when deployed, increase the lift (and drag) of a wing by changing the camber of the airfoil. ... Not to be confused with lift (force). ...

With each generation of materials and with the improvements in aerodynamics, the performance of gliders has increased. 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 only losing 1 meter of altitude. Comparing some typical gliders that might be found in the fleet of a gliding club - the Grunau Baby from the 1930s had a glide ratio of just 17:1, the glass-fiber Libelle of the 1960s increased that to 39:1, and nowadays flapped 18 meter gliders such as the ASG29 have a glide ratio of over 50:1. The largest open-class glider, the eta, has a span of 30.9 meters and has a glide ratio over 70:1. Compare this to the infamous Gimli Glider, a Boeing 767 which ran out of fuel mid-flight and was found to have a glide ratio of only 12:1, or to the Space Shuttle with a glide ratio of 3:1^[10]. 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). ... The Glasflügel H201 Standard Libelle is an early composite Standard Class single-seat sailplane produced by Glasflügel Flugzeugbau GmbH from 1967. ... The ASG 29 can be flown as a 18 metre Class glider or as a 15 metre Class glider. ... The eta is an Open Class two-seater flapped self-launching glider manufactured by ETA Aircraft. ... Gimli Glider is the nickname of an Air Canada aircraft which was involved in an infamous aviation incident. ... American Airlines Boeing 767-300 at Gatwick Airport, England. ... This article is about the space vehicle. ...

Due to the critical role that aerodynamic efficiency plays in the performance of a glider, gliders often have state of the art aerodynamic features seldom found in other aircraft. The wings of a modern racing glider have a specially designed low-drag laminar flow airfoil. After the wings' surfaces have been shaped by a mold to great accuracy, they are then highly polished. Vertical winglets at the ends of the wings are computer-designed to decrease drag and improve handling performance. Special aerodynamic seals are used at the ailerons, rudder and elevator to prevent the flow of air through control surface gaps. Turbulator devices in the form of a zig-zag tape or multiple blow holes positioned in a span-wise line along the wing are used to trip laminar flow air into turbulent flow at a desired location on the wing. This flow control prevents the formation of laminar flow bubbles and ensures the absolute minimum drag. Bug-wipers may be installed to wipe the wings while in flight and remove insects that are disturbing the smooth flow of air over the wing. Laminar flow (bottom) and turbulent flow (top) over a submarine hull. ... For the kite, see foil kite. ... Rutan VariEze, the first aircraft to use winglets in 1975 Learjet 28/29, the first production jet aircraft to use winglets in 1977 McDonnell Douglas MD-11, one of the first airliners to benefit from winglet research Wingtip devices are usually intended to improve the efficiency of fixed-wing aircraft. ... For the band with a similar name, see The Ailerons Ailerons are hinged control surfaces attached to the trailing edge of the wing of a fixed-wing aircraft. ... Stern-mounted steering oar of an Egyptian riverboat depicted in the Tomb of Menna (c. ... For other meanings of elevator see Elevator (disambiguation). ... A turbulator is a device for improving the flow of air over a wing. ...

A glider releasing its water ballast

Modern competition gliders are also designed to carry jettisonable water ballast (in the wings and sometimes in the vertical stabiliser). The extra weight provided by the water ballast is advantageous if the lift is likely to be strong, and may also be used to adjust the glider's center of mass. Although heavier gliders have a slight disadvantage when climbing in rising air, they achieve a higher speed at any given glide angle. This is an advantage in strong conditions when the gliders spend only little time climbing in thermals. The pilot can jettison the water ballast before it becomes a disadvantage in weaker thermal conditions. To avoid undue stress on the airframe, gliders must jettison any water ballast before landing. Glider crossing the finish line at high speed after completing a competition task of several hundred kilometers. ... Glider crossing the finish line at high speed after completing a competition task of several hundred kilometers. ... In physics, the center of mass of a system of particles is a specific point at which, for many purposes, the systems mass behaves as if it were concentrated. ...

Pilots can land accurately by controlling their rate of descent using spoilers, also known as air brakes. These are metal devices which extend from either the upper-wing surface or from both upper and lower surfaces, thereby destroying some lift and creating additional drag. A wheel-brake also enables a glider to be stopped after touchdown, which is particularly important in a short field. This KLM cityhopper Fokker 70 still has its spoilers deployed (the cream-coloured panels projecting above the top surface of the wing) after landing at Bristol International Airport, England. ... Look up Drag in Wiktionary, the free dictionary. ...

Classes of glider

A DG Flugzeugbau DG-1000 of the Two Seater Class

For competitions seven classes of glider have been defined by the FAI. They are: Image File history File links No higher resolution available. ... Image File history File links No higher resolution available. ... The DG1000 is a glider of the Two Seater Class built by DG Flugzeugbau. ... Competition classes in gliding, as in other sports, mainly exist to ensure fairness in competition. ... Fédération Aéronautique Internationale The Fédération Aéronautique Internationale (FAI) is a standard setting and record-keeping body for aeronautics and astronautics. ...

• Standard Class (No flaps, 15 m wing-span, water ballast allowed)
• 15 metre Class (Flaps allowed, 15 m wing-span, water ballast allowed)
• 18 metre Class (Flaps allowed, 18 m wing-span, water ballast allowed)
• Open Class (No restrictions except a limit of 850 kg for the maximum all-up weight)
• Two Seater Class (maximum wing-span of 20 m), also known by the German name "Doppelsitzer"
• Club Class (This class allows a wide range of older small gliders with different performance and so the scores have to be adjusted by handicapping. Water ballast is not allowed).
• World Class (The FAI Gliding Commission which is part of the FAI and an associated body called Organisation Scientifique et Technique du Vol à Voile (OSTIV) announced a competition in 1989 for a low-cost glider, which had moderate performance, was easy to assemble and to handle, and was safe for low hours pilots to fly. The winning design was announced in 1993 as the Warsaw Polytechnic PW-5. This allows competitions be run with only one type of glider.

Handicapping, in sport and games, is the practice of assigning advantage through scoring compensation or other advantage given to different contestants to equalize the chances of winning. ... The FAI Gliding Commission (formerly known as the International Gliding Commission (IGC)[1] is a division of the Fédération Aéronautique Internationale (FAI)[2], or International Aeronautics Federation, the world record-keeping body for aeronautics and astronautics. ... Organisation Scientifique et Technique du Vol à Voile (OSTIV) is a body associated with the FAI Gliding Commission (IGC). ... A PW-5 overflies the finish line at the 2001 World Air Games in Lillo, Spain. ...

Major manufacturers of gliders

• DG Flugzeugbau GmbH
• Schempp-Hirth GmbH
• Alexander Schleicher GmbH & Co
• Rolladen-Schneider Flugzeugbau GmbH (taken over by DG Flugzeugbau)

See also the full gliders and manufacturers list, past and present. DG Flugzeugbau GmbH is a manufacturer of sailplanes based in Bruchsal near Karlsruhe, Germany. ... Schempp-Hirth Flugzeugbau GmbH is a sailplane manufacturer based in Kirchheim, Germany. ... Alexander Schleicher GmbH & Co is a major manufacturer of sailplanes located in Poppenhausen, near Fulda in Germany. ... Rolladen Schneider was a manufacturer of rolling doors and shutters run by Willi and Walter Schneider based in Egelsbach near Frankfurt, Germany. ... // Abrial A-12 Bagoas Abrial A-2 Vautour Advanced Aeromarine Sierra Advanced Soaring Concepts Falcon Advanced Soaring Concepts Spirit Advanced Soaring Concepts Apex Aero A.17 Aeromot AMT 100 Ximango Aeromot AMT 200 Super Ximango ADI Condor AS-51 Horsa and AS-58 Horsa II assault gliders See Flugwissenschaftliche Vereinigung...

Instrumentation and other technical aids

Schempp-Hirth Janus-C in flight, showing instrument panel equipped for "cloud flying," configured in the basic-T, with airspeed, attitude and altitude display across the top row; below a GPS-driven computer, with wind and glide information, drives two electronic variometer displays to the right. The yaw string and compass are above the glare shield

Gliders must be equipped with an altimeter, compass, and an airspeed indicator in most countries, and are often equipped with a variometer, turn and bank indicator and an airband radio (transceiver), each of which may be required in some countries. An Emergency Position-Indicating Radio Beacon (ELT) may also be fitted into the glider to reduce search and rescue time in case of an accident. Image File history File links Download high-resolution version (768x1024, 1630 KB) A glider instrument panel installed in the front seat position of a Schempp-Hirth Janus-C (there is a separate panel in the rear seat posioton). ... Image File history File links Download high-resolution version (768x1024, 1630 KB) A glider instrument panel installed in the front seat position of a Schempp-Hirth Janus-C (there is a separate panel in the rear seat posioton). ... The Schempp-Hirth Janus is a high performance two-seat glider that was built by Schempp-Hirth GmbH. The design was by Dipl-Ing Klaus Holighaus and the prototype first flew in May 1974. ... Six basic instruments in a light twin-engine airplane arranged in the basic-T. From top left: airspeed indicator, attitude indicator, altimeter, turn coordinator, heading indicator, and vertical speed indicator Most aircraft are equipped with a standard set of flight instruments which give the pilot information about the aircrafts... Airspeed Indicator in a light aircraft The airspeed indicator or airspeed gauge is an instrument used in an aircraft to display the crafts airspeed, typically in knots, to the pilot. ... It has been suggested that this article or section be merged into Turn indicator. ... Diagram showing the face of a three-pointer sensitive aircraft altimeter displaying altitude in feet. ... Over fifty GPS satellites such as this NAVSTAR have been launched since 1978. ... The term Variometer also refers to a type of tunable electrical transformer // Definition A variometer (also known as a rate-of-climb indicator, a vertical speed indicator (VSI), or a vertical velocity indicator (VVI)) is an instrument in an aircraft used to inform the pilot of the rate of descent... A red yarn yaw string (top center) on the canopy of a Schempp-Hirth Janus-C glider as seen by the pilot in flight. ... This article is about the navigational tool. ... Diagram showing the face of a three-pointer sensitive aircraft altimeter displaying altitude in feet. ... This article is about the navigational instrument. ... Airspeed Indicator in a light aircraft The airspeed indicator or airspeed gauge is an instrument used in an aircraft to display the crafts airspeed, typically in knots, to the pilot. ... The term Variometer also refers to a type of tunable electrical transformer // Definition A variometer (also known as a rate-of-climb indicator, a vertical speed indicator (VSI), or a vertical velocity indicator (VVI)) is an instrument in an aircraft used to inform the pilot of the rate of descent... It has been suggested that this article or section be merged into Turn indicator. ... A Bendix/King KY197 Airband VHF communication radio mounted above a Cessna ARC RT-359A Transponder (the beige box) in a light airplane instrument panel. ... A transceiver is a device that has both a transmitter and a receiver which are combined in to one. ... Emergency Position-Indicating Radio Beacons (EPIRBs), Emergency Locator Transmitters (ELTs) and Personal Locator Beacons (PLBs) are tracking transmitters that operate as part of the Cospas-Sarsat satellite system. ... ELT, a TLA of: Emergency Locator Transmitter Every Little Thing English Language Teaching This is a disambiguation page — a navigational aid which lists pages that might otherwise share the same title. ... Search and Rescue (acronym SAR) is an operation mounted by emergency services, often well-trained volunteers, to find someone believed to be in distress, lost, sick or injured either in a remote or difficult to access area, such as mountains, desert or forest (Wilderness search and rescue), or at sea...

Much more than in other types of aviation, glider pilots depend on the variometer, which is a very sensitive vertical speed indicator, to measure the climb or sink rate of the plane. This enables the pilot to detect minute changes caused when the glider enters rising or sinking air masses. Both mechanical and electronic 'varios' are usually fitted to a glider. The electronic variometers produce a modulated sound of varying amplitude and frequency depending on the strength of the lift or sink, so that the pilot can concentrate on centering a thermal, watching for other traffic, on navigation, and weather conditions. Rising air is announced to the pilot as a rising tone, with increasing pitch as the lift increases. Conversely, descending air is announced with a lowering tone, which advises the pilot to escape the sink area as soon as possible. (Refer to the variometer article for more information). The term Variometer also refers to a type of tunable electrical transformer // Definition A variometer (also known as a rate-of-climb indicator, a vertical speed indicator (VSI), or a vertical velocity indicator (VVI)) is an instrument in an aircraft used to inform the pilot of the rate of descent... A variometer (also known as a rate-of-climb indicator, a vertical speed indicator (VSI), or a vertical velocity indicator (VVI)) is an instrument in an aircraft used to inform the pilot of the rate of descent or climb. ... The term Variometer also refers to a type of tunable electrical transformer // Definition A variometer (also known as a rate-of-climb indicator, a vertical speed indicator (VSI), or a vertical velocity indicator (VVI)) is an instrument in an aircraft used to inform the pilot of the rate of descent...

Gliders' variometers are sometimes fitted with mechanical devices such as a "MacCready Ring" to indicate the optimal speed to fly for given conditions. These devices are based on the mathematical theory attributed to Paul MacCready^[11] though it was first described by Wolfgang Späte in 1938.^[12] MacCready theory solves the problem of how fast a pilot should cruise between thermals, given both the average lift the pilot expects in the next thermal climb, as well as the amount of lift or sink he encounters in cruise mode. Electronic variometers make the same calculations automatically, after allowing for factors such as the glider's theoretical performance, water ballast, headwinds/tailwinds and insects on the leading edges of the wings. This article needs cleanup. ... Paul MacCready (born September 25, 1925 in New Haven, Connecticut) is an American aeronautical engineer. ... Major Wolfgang Späte (born 8 September 1911 in Dresden – died 30 April 1997 in Edewecht) was German World War II Luftwaffe 99 victories Flying ace. ... A polar curve is a graph of the rate of sink of an aircraft, often a glider, versus its horizontal speed. ...

Soaring flight computers, often used in combination with PDAs running specialized soaring software, have been specifically designed for use in gliders. Using GPS technology these tools can: User with Treo (PDA with smartphone functionality) Personal digital assistants (PDAs) are handheld computers, but have become much more versatile over the years. ... Over fifty GPS satellites such as this NAVSTAR have been launched since 1978. ...

The track of a glider while thermalling in the Austrian Alps using SeeYou(C) visualization software.

• Provide the glider's position in 3 dimensions by a moving map display
• Alert the pilot to nearby airspace restrictions
• Indicate position along track and remaining distance and course direction
• Show airports within theoretical gliding distance
• Determine wind direction and speed at current altitude
• Show historical lift information
• Create a secure GPS log of the flight to provide proof for contests and gliding badges
• Provide "final" glide information (ie showing if the glider can reach the finish without additional lift).
• Indicate the best speed to fly under current conditions

After the flight the GPS data may be replayed on specialized computer software for analysis and to follow the trace of one or more gliders against a backdrop of a map, an aerial photograph or the airspace. A 3-D view is shown here with a topographical background. Download high resolution version (1024x768, 507 KB)Screen shot of glider flight within the SeeYou(R) soaring software application. ... Download high resolution version (1024x768, 507 KB)Screen shot of glider flight within the SeeYou(R) soaring software application. ... Airspace means the portion of the atmosphere controlled by a particular country on top of its territory and territorial waters or, more generally, any specific three-dimensional portion of the atmosphere. ... This article is about process of creating 3D computer graphics. ...

Because collision with other gliders is an ever-present risk, the anti-collision device, FLARM is becoming increasingly common in Europe and Australia. In the longer term, gliders may eventually be required in some European countries to fit transponders once devices with low power requirements become available. FLARM is an electronic device to alert pilots to potential collisions between aircraft. ... A Cessna ARC RT-359A Transponder (the beige box) mounted beneath a Bendix/King KY197 VHF communication radio mounted in the instrument panel of an 1970 model American Aviation AA-1 Yankee. ...

Glider markings

Like all other aircraft, gliders are required to be painted with a national aircraft registration number, known as a "tail number" or in the U.S. as an "N-number". The required size of these numbers varies from country to country. Some countries allow registration numbers as small as 1 cm in height; other countries specify a minimum height of 2 inches, 3 inches, or 12 inches, sometimes depending on the age of the aircraft. This Vans Aircraft RV-7 displays the registration G-KELS. The G- prefix denotes that it is registered in the United Kingdom. ...

To distinguish gliders in flight, very large numbers/letters are sometimes displayed on the fin and wings. These numbers were added for use by ground-based observers in competitions, and are therefore known as "competition numbers" or "contest ID's". They are unrelated to the glider's registration number, and are assigned by national gliding associations. They are useful in radio communications between gliders, so glider pilots often use their competition number as their call-signs. // In broadcasting and radio communications, a call sign (also known as a callsign or call letters, or abbreviated as a call) is a unique designation for a transmitting station. ...

Fibreglass gliders are white in color after manufacture. Since fibreglass resin softens at high temperatures, white is used almost universally to reduce temperature rise due to solar heating. Color is not used except for a few small bright patches on the wing tips; these patches (typically bright red) improve gliders' visibility to other aircraft while in flight. Non-fibreglass gliders (those made of aluminum and wood) are not subject to the temperature-weakening problem of fibreglass, and can be painted any color at the owner's choosing; they are often quite brightly painted. There is a disputed proposal to merge this article with glass-reinforced plastic. ...

S-1 Swift - modern aerobatic glider

An aerobatic glider (Swift). ... An aerobatic glider (Swift). ... S-1 Swift is a single seat mid-wing single-seat glider with retractable undercarriage. ...

Aerobatic gliders

Another - less widespread - form of gliding is aerobatics. Gliders have been developed specifically for this type of competition, though most gliders can perform simpler aerobatic maneuvers such as loops and chandelles. Aerobatic gliders usually have stronger and shorter wings than the gliders that are used in cross-country racing to withstand the high g-forces that are experienced in some maneuvers. The Frecce Tricolori aerobatic team of the Italian Air Force, flying at the Royal International Air Tattoo, Fairford, England, in 2005 The UK Utterly Butterly display team perform an aerobatic maneuvre with their Boeing Stearmans Red Arrows Hawks in Concorde formation Indian Air Forces Surya Kiran during an aerobatic... The chandelle is an aerial maneuver, used to turn as sharply as possible. ... The term g force or gee force refers to the symbol g, the force of acceleration due to gravity at the earths surface. ...

See also

Wikimedia Commons has media related to:

Gliders

Look up sailplane in Wiktionary, the free dictionary.

• Gliding
• Gliding competitions
• Hang Glider
• Foot-Launched Powered Hang Glider
• Military glider
• Gimli Glider
• Paraglider
• Underwater gliders

Image File history File links Commons-logo. ... Wikipedia does not have an article with this exact name. ... Wiktionary (a portmanteau of wiki and dictionary) is a multilingual, Web-based project to create a free content dictionary, available in over 150 languages. ... A modern glider crossing the finish line of a competition at high speed. ... Duo Discuses en masse waiting for the start of a glider competition at Vaumeilh airfield near Sisteron. ... Hang gliding is one of the windsports. ... Foot-Launched Powered Hang Glider. ... Gliders built by the military of various countries were used for carrying troops and heavy equipment, mainly during the Second World War. ... Gimli Glider is the nickname of an Air Canada aircraft which was involved in an infamous aviation incident. ... Paragliding (known in some countries as parapenting) is a recreational and competitive sport that is best described as a hybrid of hang gliding and parachuting. ... NOAA Personnel launch a Slocum Glider off of Florida An underwater glider is a type of autonomous underwater vehicle (AUV) that uses small changes in its buoyancy in conjunction with wings to convert vertical motion to horizontal, and thereby propel itself with very low power consumption. ...

References

For other uses, see The Independent (disambiguation). ... Year 2006 (MMVI) was a common year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar. ... is the 236th day of the year (237th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ...

External links

• For more information on gliders and learning to glide, see article on gliding and contact the national gliding federation
  • Links to all national gliding federations

• Information about all types of glider:
  • Sailplane Directory - An enthusiast's web-site that lists manufacturers and models of gliders, past and present.

• FAI webpage
  • FAI records- sporting aviation page with international world soaring records in distances, speeds, routes, and altitude