glide ratio
The term "glide ratio" is crucial in aviation for understanding how far an aircraft can travel horizontally without engine power, relative to its loss in altitude.
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Definition
B2Aviation
(technical)The ratio of the horizontal distance an aircraft travels to the vertical distance it descends while gliding without power.
Example
- A glider with a glide ratio of 20:1 can travel 20 feet forward for every foot it descends.
- Pilots need to know the glide ratio to determine how far they can glide in case of engine failure.
Similar
Terms that have similar or relatively close meanings to "glide ratio":