FAA commercial glider pilot theory foundations study materials
FAA commercial glider pilot theory foundations study resources

Wind changes the ground result

FAA commercial glider pilot theory foundations · Put your knowledge to work in context.

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Wind changes the ground result

A fictional sailplane model gives a horizontal airspeed of 60 knots and a constant downward sink speed of 2 knots relative to still air. It then adds a direct 15 knot headwind while assuming the same airspeed and sink remain unchanged. All speeds use compatible units, and the task asks for the glide ratio relative to the ground. A learner uses 60 divided by 2 and ignores the wind. Another changes the sink merely because the headwind has changed. The task asks what the stated model actually supports. No actual polar adjustment, speed-to-fly selection, terrain, arrival margin or landing permission is supplied. A correct answer keeps the horizontal wind component separate from the vertical descent assumption and avoids treating this fixed-speed comparison as an operational recommendation.

1. Calculate the ground glide ratio.

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Groundspeed is 60−15=45 knots. With the supplied downward speed of 2 knots, the ground glide ratio is 45/2=22.5 to 1.

2. Is this the optimized speed-to-fly solution?

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No. The exercise holds airspeed and sink fixed. An optimum calculation would need the actual polar, wind, vertical air and relevant constraints.