Definition
A deliberate, pilot-managed descent following an engine failure or loss of power, in which the pilot maintains the airplane's best glide airspeed and selects a landing path to reach a survivable touchdown area under control.
Plain English
When the engine quits, you fly the airplane down on purpose at the right speed, picking where you want to land, instead of letting it drop or stall.
Context Anchor
Used in rejected takeoff and engine-failure training, especially when the airplane must land after losing power close to the ground.
Derivation
Controlled means held under the pilot's command. Glide comes from Old English glidan, to move smoothly through the air. Together the phrase emphasises that even without engine power, the airplane is still being flown, not falling.
Why Pilots Care
A controlled glide gives the pilot the best chance to select and reach a landing spot rather than losing control or landing short.
Grounding Statement
In a controlled glide, the airplane is descending, but it is still being flown.
Intuition Check
Do not read controlled glide as a slow, gentle coast with no urgency. It means the pilot is actively managing speed, direction, and landing choice while the airplane descends.
Example Sentence 1
After the engine lost power on climb-out, the pilot lowered the nose, established a controlled glide, and aimed for the open field straight ahead.
Example Sentence 2
The student practiced a controlled glide from 1000 feet AGL to demonstrate they could reach the runway numbers without power.