Can an Unpowered Glider Launched from a Building Fly Far?

[Satto]

Nice to meet you all!

Question: Is there a forum for posting hypothetical (aka. stupid) questions in? More of as a though experiment than anything else?

 

[StevieTNZ]

Welcome!

Regarding your query, it does depend on your thought experiment and what you want to achieve -- PF does not allow speculation.

 

[Satto]

Well I guess this could technically be a math question...? I'm just curious if someone could explain how the speed of an airplane might affect it's glide ratio?

All the examples I can find are of an airplane being at cruising speed and altitude and then losing power (Gimli glider) but I'd like to know how to calculate how far an unpowered glider (or sail plane) could go if it were stationary before being dropped off the roof of a 221 meter building? Anything else would hit the ground in ~6.7 seconds and be traveling at 147 mph when it did. But surely the lift of the plane would pull the vehicle forward (up) and after 4-5 seconds the plane might have the forward momentum to level out and land somewhere other than the sidewalk directly below. I just don't don't know how to calculate it. This isn't a homework assignment or anything I'm just looking for a rough approximation. Thanks!

 

[StevieTNZ]

Well I guess this could technically be a math question...? I'm just curious if someone could explain how the speed of an airplane might affect it's glide ratio?

All the examples I can find are of an airplane being at cruising speed and altitude and then losing power (Gimli glider) but I'd like to know how to calculate how far an unpowered glider (or sail plane) could go if it were stationary before being dropped off the roof of a 221 meter building? Anything else would hit the ground in ~6.7 seconds and be traveling at 147 mph when it did. But surely the lift of the plane would pull the vehicle forward (up) and after 4-5 seconds the plane might have the forward momentum to level out and land somewhere other than the sidewalk directly below. I just don't don't know how to calculate it. This isn't a homework assignment or anything I'm just looking for a rough approximation. Thanks!

Would be best to post this question in the appropriate forum. :)

 

[Satto]

Would be best to post this question in the appropriate forum. :)

That's what I'm trying to do Stevie, but there isn't one specifically for aviation questions. This could be a math problem but lot's of topics use math without being math topics, it also involves gravity (so maybe it's a physics question?) or possibly one of the engineering forums? idk...

So just let me know where you want it and I'll post it there. Thanks!

 

[NascentOxygen]

I'd like to know how to calculate how far an unpowered glider (or sail plane) could go if it were stationary before being dropped off the roof of a 221 meter building?

Hello Satto. Welcome to the forums.

Your question would be suited to the General Engineering forum. Try there. https://www.physicsforums.com/forums/general-engineering.113/