A Pilot’s Guide to the Engine-Out Glide: The Effect of Wind on Best Glide Speed
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Abstract
In an effort to continue equipping pilots with the most accurate, clear, and useful information pertaining to engine-out glide performance, the author expanded the research to include the effects of wind on an airplane’s vG. The recommendations currently available for how to adjust vG for winds will be discussed. The aerodynamic foundation of engine-out glide performance is presented to include the derivation of an analytical solution to the equation for vG. The derivation is expanded, yielding an equation for vG that accounts for headwinds and tailwinds. Numerical solutions to the equation and a graphical representation of the results are presented. Using the results, the author presents a method to quickly, easily, and accurately determine the effect of wind on vG for any airplane. Suggestions are made for how pilots can use this information.
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References
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