Definition
The airspeed at which an airplane, with the engine producing no thrust, achieves the most efficient ratio of forward distance traveled to altitude lost. It is published in the Pilot's Operating Handbook and is the speed used during a power-off glide to maximize range or reach a chosen landing spot.
Plain English
The specific speed to fly when the engine is not producing power and you want the airplane to travel as far as possible while it descends.
Context Anchor
Used during power-off approaches, engine-out practice, and any glide where the pilot must control the airplane’s descent without adding power.
Derivation
From 'glide,' meaning to move smoothly through the air without power, and 'speed,' the rate of motion. Together they describe the speed flown when the airplane is gliding rather than being driven by the engine.
Why Pilots Care
Holding this speed gives the best chance of reaching a safe landing spot when power is unavailable.
Grounding Statement
With little or no engine power, the pilot uses pitch attitude to keep the airplane at the desired gliding speed.
Intuition Check
Gliding speed does not mean the airplane is floating as slowly as possible. It means a specific airspeed used for a controlled power-off descent.
Example Sentence 1
After the engine quit, the pilot lowered the nose and trimmed the airplane for the published gliding speed before searching for a place to land.
Example Sentence 2
When the engine simulated a failure on downwind, the pilot immediately established gliding speed to reach the runway.