Definition
A power-off descent flown with the wings held parallel to the horizon, with no bank or turn applied. The airplane descends straight ahead at a controlled airspeed using only pitch for speed control.
Plain English
Gliding straight down toward the ground with the wings flat, not banked into a turn.
Context Anchor
Seen in steep-spiral training when a pilot compares the descending turn to a straight glide, or rolls out of the spiral toward the selected landing area.
Derivation
“Glide” comes from an old word meaning to move smoothly. In aviation, it points to the airplane continuing through the air while descending with little or no help from the engine. “Wings-level” adds that the airplane is not tilted into a turn.
Why Pilots Care
Preserves accurate ground track and prevents unintended turns that could lead to disorientation or overshooting the intended landing area.
Intuition Check
“Wings-level” does not mean the airplane is flying level. The wings are level side-to-side, but the airplane can still be descending in a glide.
Example Sentence 1
After losing engine power, the pilot established a wings-level glide at best glide speed while looking for a suitable landing site.
Example Sentence 2
The instructor called for a wings-level glide so the student could check the engine instruments before continuing the approach.