PPRuNe Forums - View Single Post - Why does a light aircraft descend faster than a heavy one?
Old 5th September 2001 | 05:03
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chris barlow
 
Joined: Sep 2001
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From: Boston
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In actuality an aircraft will glide at constant dynamic pressure. If we assume that all glides are performed at the best L/D and that the aerodynamice are linear, then all glides will have the same best L/D angle of attack and occur at the same best L/D lift coeffieient. This is independent of the weight. The flightpath is also invariant with weight and is given by the L/D ratio. An increased weight at the same lift coefficient and flight path angle will require a proportional increase in dynamic pressure to support it. Therefore an increase in weight should produce a faster speed down the same glideslope.
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