Aircraft Characteristics Practice Test

Glide ratio is defined as what?

Horizontal distance traveled per altitude gained. Horizontal distance traveled per unit of altitude lost. Altitude gained per unit of horizontal distance traveled. Energy required to reach a landing site.

Correct Answer:

Horizontal distance traveled per unit of altitude lost.

Explanation:

Glide ratio measures how far you can travel horizontally for each unit of altitude you lose in unpowered flight. It’s the horizontal distance divided by the vertical distance fallen. So the correct description is horizontal distance traveled per unit of altitude lost. For example, a glide ratio of 10:1 means you can go 10 units forward for every 1 unit of altitude you lose, reflecting the aircraft’s glide efficiency and its lift-to-drag characteristics. The other ideas don’t fit: horizontal distance per altitude gained would imply climbing, which isn’t how a glide works; altitude gained per horizontal distance is the inverse; and energy required to reach a landing site isn’t a distance-to-distance ratio.

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