Definition
The pitch attitude of the airplane, relative to the horizon, that produces the airspeed required for a stabilized power-off descent (glide). It is the nose position the pilot must hold to maintain the airplane's published best glide speed or recommended glide speed.
Plain English
The nose position you hold during a glide so the airplane descends at the right speed without power.
Context Anchor
Seen during power-off approaches, forced-landing practice, and intentional slips, when the pilot sets the airplane’s nose position for a controlled glide.
Derivation
Glide comes from an old word meaning to move smoothly. Attitude in aviation does not mean mood; it means the airplane’s position in relation to the horizon. Together, glide attitude means the airplane position that lets it glide smoothly and under control.
Why Pilots Care
Holding the correct glide attitude during a slip keeps airspeed stable, prevents overspeed or stall, and produces a predictable descent rate for landing or obstacle clearance.
Intuition Check
Do not read attitude here as the pilot’s mood or mindset. In this context, attitude means the airplane’s nose position relative to the horizon during the glide.
Example Sentence 1
After reducing power to idle, the instructor lowered the nose to the glide attitude and trimmed for best glide speed.
Example Sentence 2
After the slip was removed, the airplane returned to its normal glide attitude for the final approach.