What is Gliding Flight and Glider?

What is Gliding Flight?

Gliding flight means flying objects heavier than air without the use of thrust power. The term volplaning refers to this mode of flight in animals. It is used by flying animals and aircraft such as gliders. This mode of flight involves flying a considerable distance horizontally compared to its landing and thus can be distinguished from a mostly flat landing like a round parachute.

Although the human application of glider flight generally refers to aircraft designed for this purpose, most powerful aircraft are capable of gliding without engine power. As with continuous flight, gliding often requires the application of a wing profile, such as wings on aircraft or birds, or the sliding membrane of a soaring marsupial. However, gliding can be achieved with a flat wing, as in a simple paper airplane, or even card throwing.

What is Glider?

A glider is usually a fixed wing aircraft that can fly without any power source on it. Some gliders also have motorized versions.

Its cockpit can be single or double seated. They take off with the help of a crane system or the towing of an airplane. At a certain height, they can disconnect from the hammer and fly by taking advantage of the air currents in the atmosphere. It has different usage and areas. They are generally used for sports purposes. Especially in the competitions organized, the aim is to cover the longest way in the shortest time.

The inventor of the glider was Otto Lilienthal, who fell and died in 1886 during a test flight.

The gliders used today are made of very light materials such as plywood and fiberglass. Its narrow body allows the glider to split the air easily, and its wings are designed to be thin and long in order to benefit more from the lifting force.