Glide ratio

Definitions

• The ratio between distance traveled and altitude lost during non-powered flight.
• The ratio of the forward distance traveled to the vertical distance an aircraft descends when it is operating without power. For example, an aircraft with a glide ratio of 10:1 will descend about 1,000 feet for every 2 miles (10,560 feet) it moves forward.

References

• Airplane Flying Handbook, Federal Aviation Administration, 2021
• Powered Parachute Flying Handbook, Federal Aviation Administration, 2007
• Weight-Shift Control Aircraft Flying Handbook, Federal Aviation Administration, 2008