Gliding flight

Flight Mechanics - Academic year 2023/24

Dr. Mauro Mancini

Politecnico di Torino
Gliding flight

In gliding flight the height of the aircraft decreases. Conversion of po-

tential energy into velocity (kinetic energy), which will give us needed
lift for flight.

We will consider the simple case of non-powered descent, or glide.

(“engine-out” situation, sailplanes and hang gliders, no Thrust)

How far can I glide after my engine fails? How to optimize the rate of
descent in order to prepare for emergency operations?

In gliding flight, the flight path

angle is not null and is named the
angle of glide.

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Gliding flight

Assuming we start from a level flight situation, lacking traction, resis-

tance begins to decelerate the aircraft.

After that, the aircraft begins to fall, pointing its nose downwards.

The velocity increases again due to gravity, until it counterbalances

the drag. A new EQUILIBRIUM situation is created in which the model
continues a constant descent at an angle θ.

EQUILIBRIUM? Lift - Drag - Weight (No Thrust)

The Weight is decomposed along Lift and Drag so as to counterbalance

both. Therefore, the equilibrium is regulated by the angle of glide.

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Gliding flight

EQUILIBRIUM
L = Wcos(γ), D = Wsin(γ),

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Gliding flight

What is the glide angle that balances the forces?

sin(γ) D 1
= tan(γ) = =
cos(γ) L E

Glide angle depends only on aerodynamic efficiency. (not by wing

loading or altitude)

Typical modern aircraft can achieve high aerodynamic efficiencies, so

it is realistic to consider low γ. Therefore:
1
tan(γ) ≈ sin(γ) ⇒ sin(γ) = , cos(γ) = 1
E

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Gliding flight

What is the equilibrium glide speed?

√
ρV2 W/S
Wcos(γ) ≈ W = L = cL S ⇒ V= 2
2 ρcL

It can be decomposed along the horizontal and the vertical (descend

speed) components:

U = Vcos(γ) ≈ V
√
V 1 W/S
w = Vsin(γ) ≈ = 2
E E ρcL

Equilibrium speed and descent speed depend on wing loading and

altitude, as well as aerodynamic efficiency.

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Gliding flight
√
For the equilibrium: V = 2 W/S
ρcL

Given wing loading (W/S) and altitude (z ⇒ ρ), the equilibrium estab-
lishes an univocal relationship between flight speed (V) and (cL ).

1 • I can select V (and cL is uniquely determined), or...

V = const. √
cL • I can select cL (and V is uniquely determined).
Attention!
Angle of attack α, cL , and aerodynamic efficiency E are uniquely linked.
Specifying one of these three parameters also gives us the other two.

cL
α ⇒ cL = aα ⇒ cD = cD0 + kc2L ⇒ E=
cD

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Gliding flight

cL1 cL2
tan(ϵ′ ) = cD1 = cD2 = E, (E1 = E2 = E)

1
tan(γ) = E ⇒ γ1 = γ2

IN FLIGHT CONDITION 1 AND FLIGHT CONDITION 2 THE AIRCRAFT HAS THE

SAME GLIDE ANGLE!

• α1 ⇒ low cL , high V √
V cL = const., (W/S, z const.)
• α2 ⇒ high cL , low V

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Gliding flight

MINIMUM GLIDE ANGLE?

γmin is obtained for Emax .

( )
1 1 1
tan(γ) = ⇒ tan(γmin ) = ⇒ γmin = arctan
E Emax Emax

If we want the glide to be performed at the smallest possible angle

of descent γmin , we have to select cL = cLEmax .

√
√ eπAR
cLEmax = eπARcD0 , cDEmax = 2cD0 , Emax =
4cD0

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Gliding flight

Sailplane BOEING 747

AR = 30 AR = 7
cD0 = 0.012 cD0 = 0.016
e = 0.92 e = 0.85
Emax = 42.5 Emax = 17.1
γmin = 1.35 [deg] γmin = 3.35 [deg]

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Gliding flight

Flying at the maximum aerodynamic efficiency (Emax ) , i.e. at the min-

imum angle of descent (γmin ), we have the maximum range in a glide.

Hypothesis: absence of any natural wind, α = const. (cL , E, γ const.)

∆h
R=
tan(γ)

R = E∆h ⇒ Rmax for Emax

Rmax = Emax ∆h
Important result!
With the minimum angle of descent, the maximum glide range is
achieved. (γmin ⇒ Rmax )
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Gliding flight
MINIMUM RATE OF DESCENT w?
√
wmin is obtained for (E cL )max (if we fix W/S and ρ).

√
1 W/S 1 1
wmin = 2 = const. √ ⇒ wmin = const. √
E ρcL E cL (E cL )max

If we want to maximize the time before “ground encounter”, the glide

must be performed at cL = cL(E√cL )max .

√
√ 3 eπAR
cL(E√cL )max = 3eπARcD0 , cD(E√cL )max = 4cD0 , E(E√cL )max =
16 cD0

( ) ( )
1 1
γwmin = arctan = arctan 3 eπAR
E(E√cL )max 16 cD0
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Gliding flight

Sailplane BOEING 747

AR = 30 AR = 7
cD0 = 0.012 cD0 = 0.016
e = 0.92 e = 0.85
W/S = 150 N/m2 , ρ = 0.9 kg/m3 W/S = 730 N/m2 , ρ = 0.9 kg/m3
wmin = 0.3732 m/s wmin = 2.7961 m/s
Emax = 42.5 Emax = 17.1

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Gliding flight

TIME TO DESCENT

∫ t2 ∫ z2
dh dh dz
dt = =− ⇒ dt = −
dh/dt w t1 z1 w

Assumptions: constant angle of attack α, i.e. w = w(ρ). We can solve

equation above in two ways:

1. ρ = ρ(z)
 √
w = 1 2 W/S
E cL ρ(z)
( )m−1
σ(z) = ρ(z) = T0 −hz ⇒ dσ
≈ −0.092 kg/m
3

ρ0 T0 dz km (for z<4 km)

√ √ ∫ t2 ∫ z2
ρ0 1 W/S dz
w = 2 ⇒ dt = − √
ρ0 E cL ρ(z) w(ρ) ρρ00
ρ 0 ρ0 t1 z1

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Gliding flight

∫ t2 √ ∫ z2 √
cL ρ0
dt = −E σ(z)dz
t1 2W/S z1
⇓
√
1000 cL ρ0 1 1
dz = − dσ, E = =
0.092 2W/S w(z = 0) w0
⇓
∫ ∫
t2
1 1000 σ(z2 ) √ 1 1000 2 [ 3 ]σ(z2 )
dt = σdσ = σ2
t1 w0 0.092 σ(z1 ) w0 0.092 3 σ(z1 )

⇓
√
z2 = 0 ⇒ σ(z2 ) = 1, t1 = 0, (E cL )max
⇓
1 2000 ( 3
)
tmax = 1 − σ(z1 ) 2
w0min 0.276

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Gliding flight

TIME TO DESCENT

∫ t2 ∫ z2
dh dh dz
dt = =− ⇒ dt = −
dh/dt w t1 z1 w

Assumptions: constant angle of attack α, i.e. w = w(ρ). We can solve

equation above in two ways:

1. ρ = ρ(z)
2. Linear approximation for w(z) = a + bz
√
• Select an attitude, e.g. (E cL )max
• Compute a = wz2min
• Compute b = (wz2min − wz2min )/(z2 − z1 )
• Compute the maximum time of flight for z2 = 0, t1 = 0.
∫ z2
dz 1
tmax = − = (ln(a + bz1 ) − ln(a))
z1 a + bz b

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Exercise 1

A sailplane ASW24 flies at an altitude of 3000 m. Calculate the maxi-

mum glide radius and the maximum glide time knowing that the glider
has a weight of 305 kg, wing area S = 10 m2 , wingspan b = 15 m, cD0 =
0.009, Oswald efficiency number e = 0.98.

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Gliding flight

GLIDING HODOGRAPH CURVE

ρV2 ρV2
Wcos(γ) = L = cL S Wsin(γ) = D = cD S
2 2

L2 + D2 = ...

√
√ √
ρV2 W/S 1
W= S c2L + c2D ⇒ V= 2 √ , cF = c2L + c2D
2 ρ cF

The gliding hodograph curve is specialized for given W/S and ρ. The
gliding hodograph curve is built with V−equation above, where the
variable is α. (α determines cL , cD , cF , E, γ, V).

For each α I obtain unique values of γ and V and can draw the curve
U − w, i.e. the hodograph.
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Gliding flight

Each point of the red line is characterised by specific V, α. The curve

is specialized for fixed W/S and ρ.

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Gliding flight

Point 1 and 2 are characterised by the same aerodynamic efficiency,

i.e. the same glide angle. The green arrow is the velocity vector.

• 1) Low speed, high angle of attack.

• 2) High speed, low angle of attack.

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Gliding flight

Maximum range, γmin

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Gliding flight

Maximum duration, wmin

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Gliding flight

EFFECT OF THE ALTITUDE IN THE HODOGRAPH

0
z=3 km
z=0

-0.5

-1
w [m/s]

-1.5

-2

-2.5

0 10 20 30 40 50 60
Speed [m/s]

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Gliding flight

EFFECT OF THE ALTITUDE IN THE HODOGRAPH

0
m=305 kg
-0.2 m=500 kg

-0.4

-0.6

-0.8
w [m/s]

-1

-1.2

-1.4

-1.6

-1.8
0 10 20 30 40 50 60
Speed [m/s]

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