Some hang-gliders and most sailplanes are towed aloft by a powered aircraft and then cut loose to begin the glide. Hang-glider pilots often run and jump off the side of a hill or cliff to get going. Some larger balsa gliders employ a catapult made from rubber bands and a tow line to provide velocity and some initial altitude. So how does a glider generate the velocity needed for flight?įor paper airplanes and balsa gliders, the aircraft is given an initial velocity by throwing the aircraft. With the drag unopposed, a glider quickly slows down until it can no longer generate enough lift to oppose the weight, and it then falls to earth. In a powered aircraft, the thrust from the engine opposes drag, but a glider has no engine to generate thrust. The motion of a glider through the air also generates drag. To generate lift, a glider must move through the air. In order for a glider to fly, it must generate lift to oppose its weight. The powered aircraft has an engine that generates thrust, while the glider has no thrust. Both types of aircraft are subjected to the forces of lift, drag, and weight. In flight, a glider has three forces acting on it as compared to the four forces that act on a powered aircraft. Even the Wright Brothers gained piloting experience through a series of glider flights from 1900 to 1903. The Space Shuttle returns to earth as a glider the rocket engines are used only during liftoff. Sailplanes are piloted gliders that have standard aircraft parts, construction, and flight control systems, but no engine. Some hang-gliders look like piloted kites, while others resemble maneuverable parachutes. Hang-gliders are piloted aircraft having cloth wings and minimal structure. Balsa wood or Styrofoam toy gliders are an inexpensive vehicle for students to have fun while learning the basics of aerodynamics. There are many different types of gliders. Paper airplanes are the simplest gliders to build and fly. Home > Beginners Guide to Aeronautics GlidersĪ glider is a special kind of aircraft that has no engine.
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