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Old 18th August 2013 | 09:19
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main_dog
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From: Krug departure, Merlot transition
Spot on. In still air, both will travel the same distance along the same angle of descent (provided they are at the same angle of attack: assuming this AoA is the one that provides best L/D, then they will glide the greatest distance possible). The heavier a/c however will "slide down the slope" faster, as any given AoA will be obtained at a higher speed for a heavier aircraft. So in still air they will travel the same distance but the heavier one will reach the ground first.

Once wind kicks in it's a different story though: if it's a headwind, the light aircraft (which is taking longer to descend) will be exposed to the effects of the headwind for longer and travel a shorter distance. The heavier one will travel further (hence the ballast in gliders as they battle their way through headwinds towards the next updraft). The opposite occurs for a tailwind, with the light aircraft traveling further as it enjoys the benefit of the tailwind for longer.
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