The Science of Gliding

Goal

Gliding involves a careful balancing act that combines glide ratio, size, and endurance. From a scientific perspective, gliders do not fly per se, as they are gradually falling from the sky, mainly due to gravity. However, a glider is supposed to move some distance in a vertical direction while contemporaneously moving down horizontally. Glide ratio is the ratio between the vertical and the horizontal distance that the glider moves in (FAA, 2016). The goal in gliding is to create the capability for substantive glide ratio. On the other hand, gliders should be able to withstand the push and pull of the forces acting in its frame in the process of flying.

Requirements and Restrictions

Technically, a glider falls between a balloon and a frame a fact that laws parameters for its requirements and restrictions. A balloon is normally lighter than air hence uses the advantage of lightness to fly. On the other end of the divide is the plane, a complex mechanized system compete with engines that augment is aerodynamics (Miele, 2016). A glider is technically heavier than air, having as little mechanization as possible yet capable of utilizing meteorological phenomena to attain some kind of flying. For a flying machine to qualify as a glider, its restrictions include being heavier than air yet not relying on an engine or other forms of artificial propulsion for its buoyancy. Within these limitations, buoyancy has to result from the structural aerodynamics of the frame of the glider itself.

Glider Information

There are three main kinds of gliders capable of manned flight. These are the paraglider, the hang glider, and the standard gliders, also called sailplanes (Miele, 2016). Basal gliders are also a type of glider but generally considered as an informal glider for exhibition. The primary difference between the three gliders is wing design. The paraglider has a completely flexible wing that depends on air pressure for its shape and appearance. The hang glider’s wings have a fixed flame but are also flexible and may change shape depending on air pressure. Normal gliders or sailplanes have fixed wings whose aerodynamics depend in the shape of the wing (Miele, 2016). The basal glider adopts the design of a normal glider as it has a fixed-wing too.

Stability

For a sustainable flight, a glider needs two main types of stability, the direction and stand stability on the one hand and longitudinal stability on the other. The direction stability ensures that the glider has some form of velocity at any moment in time, which is speed in a definitive direction. Normally, several external forces such as wind will affect the stability of the glider (FAA, 2016). Whereas the glider may not be able to prevent the effect of these external forces substantively, it should be able to maintain some semblance of directional stability in order to be functional. Horizontal stability refers to the stability of movement either up or down, contemporaneous with the forward movement (FAA, 2016). To gain some glide ratio, there should be relative horizontal stability in spite of the impact of external forces including gravity. The main source of stability in a glider is its aerodynamic capability obtained its shape, including the shape of its wings and tail.

Endurance

Endurance in the instance context means the ability of a glider to maintain its shape and functionality in spite of the external forces acting on it during flight. A good example of endurance involves the stability balance that combines the wings and the tail. If either of the two is not properly fixed, the opposing forces may pull some of the parts apart. Endurance in a glider combines the quality of the material used and the design of the glider itself (FAA, 2016).

Balsa Glider Construction

The Balsa glider is a miniature form of a normal glider also called a floatplane. As opposed to sailplanes, Balsa gliders are too small to be manned or even to sustain elongated flight. However, the Balsa is capable of exhibiting the capabilities of a sailboat for a short moment (Jain, 2018). The name Balsa glider stems from the material used to make the miniature glider. Balsa also called the Ochroma tree is a flowering plant with a relatively lighter wood than other trees. When the Balsa wood is kiln-dried, it obtains a relatively high strength to weight ratio, making it ideal for making miniature gliders. The construction of a Balsa glider involves careful making careful calculations on dimensions (Jain, 2018). The calculations will enable preparation if parts which include the fuselage, the wings, and the tail. Using a sturdy glue, the parts can then be joined together to form a Balsa glider.

References

FAA. (2016). Glider Handbook . Federal Aviation Administration. https://www.faa.gov/regulations_policies/handbooks_manuals/aircraft/glider_handbook/

Jain, S. (2018, July 28). Balsa Glider Design. Retrieved from https://engineering.eckovation.com/balsa-glider-design/

Miele, A. (2016). Flight mechanics: theory of flight paths. Mineola, New York: Courier Dover Publications.