What is the glide ratio of a modern plane?

For example, if an aircraft is said to travel 2.5 nm with every 1000 ft loss in altitude, its glide ratio is equal to 15:1. This is the typical glide ratio of an airliner. Gliders have better glide ratios. There are gliders with glide ratios of 70:1.



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Without engine thrust, the 747 had a glide ratio of 15:1, meaning it can glide forward 15 kilometres for every kilometre it drops. After calculating the glide ratio, the crew realized that they had less than 30 minutes to regain power before they smashed into the ground.

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With it's efficient wings the glide ratio of the B 777 should be around 15:1. Extrapolating, from a Flight Level of 390 gives us a theoretical gliding distance of about 110 Miles.

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Maximum and minimum glideslope angles are 3.25 degrees and 2.5 degrees respectively.

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Without engine thrust, the 747 had a glide ratio of 15:1, meaning it can glide forward 15 kilometres for every kilometre it drops. After calculating the glide ratio, the crew realized that they had less than 30 minutes to regain power before they smashed into the ground.

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The A380 has a glide ratio of about 15:1, which means that for every 15 kilometers (9 miles) it travels horizontally, it loses 1 kilometer (0.6 miles) of altitude. Therefore, if an A380 is cruising at 12 kilometers (7 miles) above sea level, it can glide for about 180 kilometers (110 miles) before reaching the ground.

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On August 24, 2001, an Air Transat Airbus A330 performed the longest-ever glide on a commercial aircraft before landing in the Azores. Without engine power, the aircraft glided for nearly 75 miles or 121 kilometres.

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