Glide Ratio Calculator
With a lift-to-drag ratio of 12, an aircraft gliding from 1000 m covers 12000 m, at a glide angle of 4.8°.
12000 m
- In km
- 12 km
- In nautical miles
- 6.479481641 NM
- Glide angle γ = arctan(1/(L/D))
- 4.763641691 °
- Sink rate V sin γ
- 2.491364396 m/s
- Time to the ground
- 401.386486 s
Step-by-step solution
- Distance = height × L/D = 1000 × 12 = 12000 m
- tan γ = 1 ÷ (L/D) → γ = 4.763641691°
Glide Ratio Formula
Distance = h × L/D, tan γ = 1/(L/D)
sink rate = V sin γ
Worked Example
Gliding from 1000 m with L/D = 12:
- Distance = height × L/D = 1000 × 12 = 12000 m
- tan γ = 1 ÷ (L/D) → γ = 4.763641691°
In nautical miles: 6.479481641 NM · Glide angle γ = arctan(1/(L/D)): 4.763641691 ° · Sink rate V sin γ: 2.491364396 m/s · Time to the ground: 401.386486 s
GATE tip
Best glide uses maximum L/D. Minimum sink uses the minimum-power C_L, √(3C_D0/K): it keeps the aircraft aloft longest but covers less ground.
More Airplane Performance Calculators
-
Lift Equation Calculator
L = ½ ρ V² S C_L
ρ air density, V true airspeed, S wing area, C_L lift coefficient; drag uses C_D the same way
Example: A 16.2 m² wing at 60 m/s and C_L = 0.5 at sea level: Lift L = 17860.5 N.
-
Drag Polar Calculator
C_D = C_D0 + K C_L², K = 1/(πeAR)
(L/D)max = 1/(2√(C_D0 K)) at C_L = √(C_D0/K)
Example: C_D0 = 0.025, AR = 8, e = 0.8 at C_L = 0.5: Drag coefficient C_D = 0.037434.
-
Rate of Climb Calculator
R/C = (T − D)V / W
sin γ = (T − D)/W; excess power = (T − D)V
Example: 3000 N thrust and 1500 N drag at 40 m/s for an 1100 kg aircraft: Rate of climb = 5.56209 m/s.
-
Stall Speed Calculator
V_s = √(2W / (ρ S C_L,max))
in a turn V_s√n; manoeuvring speed V_A = V_s√n_max
Example: An 1100 kg aircraft with a 16.2 m² wing and C_L,max = 1.6 at sea level: Stall speed V_s = 26.0667 m/s.
Frequently asked questions
Does weight change the glide distance?
No: in still air the glide angle depends only on L/D. A heavier aircraft glides at a higher speed along the same path.
What about wind?
A headwind shortens the distance over the ground and a tailwind lengthens it; fly slightly faster than best glide into a headwind.
Sources
- The International System of Units (SI), 9th edition (SI Brochure), Bureau International des Poids et Mesures .
Last reviewed: . Factors are stored exactly and computed with 50-digit decimal arithmetic. See how we verify conversion factors.
Cite this page
APA
Scientific Converters. (2026, October 15). Glide Ratio Calculator. Retrieved October 25, 2026, from https://scientificconverters.com/calculators/glide-ratio-calculator/
IEEE
Scientific Converters, "Glide Ratio Calculator," scientificconverters.com. Accessed: Oct. 25, 2026. [Online]. Available: https://scientificconverters.com/calculators/glide-ratio-calculator/