The Glider That Will Astonish You: Unbelievable Glide Ratio

Unpowered gliders use an outside source, such as a tow plane, winch, or vehicle, to launch. Once released, these gliders maintain forward motion from conversion of potential energy to kinetic. Simply start at the desired airspeed and move up until intersecting the glide angle l/d line and then read the glide ratio from the scale on the side of the diagram. We can also see what. Gliders and sailplanes are designed to have high aspect ratio wings, smooth aerodynamic surfaces, and lightweight structures, allowing them to achieve remarkable glide ratios over 50:1.