Definition
The angle between the airplane's descending flight path and the horizontal during a power-off or reduced-power glide. It is determined by the lift-to-drag ratio of the airplane and is influenced by wind: a headwind steepens the glide angle over the ground, while a tailwind flattens it.
Plain English
How steeply the airplane is descending toward the ground when gliding. A small glide angle means a long, shallow descent; a large glide angle means a steeper drop.
Context Anchor
Seen when practicing power-off or reduced-power glides, especially when judging whether the airplane can reach a chosen landing area.
Derivation
Glide' comes from Old English glīdan, meaning to move smoothly. The pairing with 'angle' simply describes the slope of that smooth descent through the air.
Why Pilots Care
The glide angle determines how far the airplane can travel forward for every foot of altitude lost, directly affecting whether a suitable landing area can be reached after engine failure.
Grounding Statement
Picture the airplane following a sloping line down toward a landing spot; glide angle is how steep that line is.
Intuition Check
Do not confuse glide angle with pitch attitude. Glide angle is the steepness of the airplane’s actual path downward; pitch attitude is where the nose is pointed.
Example Sentence 1
After the engine lost power, the pilot pitched for best glide speed to achieve the shallowest glide angle and reach the nearest field.
Example Sentence 2
A steeper glide angle shortens the distance the airplane can cover over the ground before reaching the surface.