Message-ID: <369C4FB4.60A4C7AB@his.com>
Date: Wed, 13 Jan 1999 02:48:04 -0500
From: Jeff Cook <jcook@his.com>
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Subject: Re: Does headwind increase or decrease the glide range?
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Kenny Leung wrote:
> At idle power setting. Does headwind:
> (1) Increase the glide range because it increases the airspeed around the
> aerofoils so more lift are generated by the aerofoils
> (2) Decrease the glide range because the body of air will move in the
> opposite direction of the glide carrying the plane with it.


I'm still relatively green, but I think I can explain this. Please
correct me if necessary.

I think your terms make it confusing. Instead of "range", use "time" or
"distance". Without another source of lift, power keeps you up. Without
power (but constant airspeed), you are going down at a constant rate, so
time is the same. The headwind counteracts distance, so you need a
closer landing site.

-- 
Jeff Cook
jcook@his.com
Washington DC area
