Wing Loading / climb rate

On Mon, 13 Feb 2017 10:50:31 -0700, Dan Marotta wrote:

If the lifting force exactly matched the weight of the glider then, in
still air, wouldn't the glider not lose altitude? Or are you saying
that the sink rate of the glider is cause by drag?

On 2/13/2017 6:46 AM, Tango Whisky wrote:
Le lundi 13 février 2017 04:52:04 UTC+1, Jim a écrit :
Yes, I have enjoyed slower-flying thermal-working too. It's lots of
fun.

My curiosity about wing loading and climb rate really is limited to
non-thermalling, non-turning flight. I was wondering about the
possible relationship of wing loading to lifting force. Likely an
unrealistic circumstance in actual flying though. Just a curiosity.
Well, on a good soaring day, about 70-80% of the flight is
non-thermalling, non-turning flight.
And the lifting force always matches the weight of the glider,
regardless of wing loading.

Lift generated must equal the glider's weight. If it didn't, the rate of
sink would not be a constant relative to the air mass for a given trim
setting and airspeed.


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martin@ | Martin Gregorie
gregorie. | Essex, UK
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