atakacs;
In any case I would find an actual study of glide performances - and subsequent recommendations as of how to best manage it most interesting. Be it bird strike, fuel leak or incomprehensible ice creation there have been a non negligible count of cases where a modern airliner had to glide. As far as I can tell these are so far considered exotic circumstances and not trained in sim or even mentioned in performance charts. It might be worth (re)visiting.
Perhaps. We might first acknowledge the data already available on the PFD's of most later glass airplanes; the best L/D ratio is presented on the PFD in the Airbus A320/A330/A340 (and I suspect the A380) series as "Green dot" speed. I am unsure if there is such a presentation for the B777, (My manual doesn't seem to indicate any). Unless it's changed the B767 does not have such an indication. So some types provide the crew with immediate best lift-drag speed information.
This information would be for an undamaged, clean (uncontaminated) wing with different slat-flap configurations but not with landing gear extended or partial slats/flaps (abnormal config).
The Gimli crew relied upon timing their rate of descent (by timing how long it took to loose 1000ft) as there is no IVSI in the standby group. They then used radar distance to the drag strip to judge the rate of descent. The aircraft was kept intentionally slightly high and when they knew they could make the strip, the captain side-slipped the aircraft just like a Piper Cub.
Not sure how the Azores A330 was flown as I'm not sure the data is available in any report, (anyone?). The A330 fuel leak trouble-shooting procedures were changed after that incident.
What needs revisiting perhaps is what caused the requirement to glide in the first place and I think the Gimli and Azores incidents have been addressed. I know the SAS MD80 accident was a dead-stick but can't recall the details. The DC9 in Florida was dual engine damage if I recall - not much to be done there except the usual caution regarding staying away from thunderstorms. Other than the present incident and the Pinnacle RJ which suffered core-lock after the engines flamed out at 410, (crew messing with the airplane on a non-rev flight - both killed), what other dual engine failures have we seen?