In article .com,
wrote:

There was an article in Popular Mechanics I found on the web that
claims that the GlobalFlyer has

"a lift-to-drag ratio of 37-to-1--topping even the Voyager's 27-to-1"

And yet they said yesterday that if he ran out of fuel he could glide
200 miles from 50,000 ft. Which is 24:1, assuming nautical miles.
Which makes one suspect that the 37:1 is with the engine idling, not
dead.



"One of the characteristics of the aircraft is that it glides well. It
glides so well that with the gear up and at light weights with the
engine at idle, it cannot descend. Switching to ground idle helps
reduce the idle thrust, but to descend at a normal 3-degree glide
angle, the gear must be extended and the drag chutes deployed."

Which doesn't contradict the above.


Looks like on a final glide the GlobalFlyer would beat more familiar
gliders such as a Grob 103 or an ASK 21...

ASK21 certainly. But that's right around the same as our Grob Twin
Astirs. Assuming he still has fuel to keep the engine idling...


And you got a beefy self-launcher in case you blow it...

They say it can climb with the chutes (called "shoots" in one article on
their site yesterday!) deployed. Good thing as they don't jettison.

--
Bruce | 41.1670S | \ spoken | -+-
Hoult | 174.8263E | /\ here. | ----------O----------