(Walt BJ) wrote:

Glide distance - if you take the same airplane, it will glide farther
if it's heavier.

I have a lot of trouble with that statement Walt...perhaps I'm
slow but I cannot see that at all.

I mean normal load ranges from empty to MTOGW, not
'balsa' and 'lead'. The reason is that there is more potential energy
(energy of height) in the heavier-loaded one. Yes, the heavier bird
does have to glide faster to maintain best L/D. This is depicted in
the engines-out glide charts in the performance manuals of jet
airliners. I gave my manuals away when I retired but trust me, it's
there.
Walt BJ

Yes Walt, I can see that the heavier a/c would have more energy
(potential energy?) but wouldn't it lose that advantage by the
fact that It's heavier and therefore require more energy to carry
that extra weight?...just sounds like 'getting something for
nothing' otherwise. IOW, if an a/c will 'glide farther' when it's
heavy then why wouldn't it 'fly further' when it's heavy under
power?. And it sure won't.

I'm not trying to be argumentative, I just can't grasp it...
--

-Gord.