Large birds are notably adept at gliding, including: Birds in particular use gliding flight to minimise their use of energy. Gliding in a helicopter is called autorotation.įurther information: Flying and gliding animals and List of soaring birds Birds Ī number of animals have separately evolved gliding many times, without any single ancestor. See list of airline flights that required gliding flight. Some aircraft are not designed to glide except in an emergency, such as engine failure or fuel exhaustion. Spacecraft such as the Space Shuttles, SpaceShipOne and the Russian Buran.Experimental aircraft such as the North American X-15, which glided back having used their fuel.In addition to motor gliders, some powered aircraft are designed for routine glides during part of their flight usually when landing after a period of a powered flight. Radio-controlled gliders with fixed wings are also soared by enthusiasts. For foot-launched aircraft, it is known as hang gliding and paragliding. When done in gliders (sailplanes), the sport is known as gliding and sometimes as soaring. The design of all three types enables them to repeatedly climb using rising air and then to glide before finding the next source of lift. These two latter types are often foot-launched. The types of aircraft that are used for sport and recreation are classified as gliders (sailplanes), hang gliders and paragliders. The main human application is currently recreational, though during the Second World War military gliders were used for carrying troops and equipment into battle. Rotor kite, if untethered, known as a rotary glider, or gyroglider.Most winged aircraft can glide to some extent, but there are several types of aircraft designed to glide: However, some aircraft with lifting bodies and animals such as the flying snake can achieve gliding flight without any wings by creating a flattened surface underneath. However, gliding can be achieved with a flat ( uncambered) wing, as with a simple paper plane, or even with card-throwing. As with sustained flight, gliding generally requires the application of an airfoil, such as the wings on aircraft or birds, or the gliding membrane of a gliding possum. This mode of flight involves flying a significant distance horizontally compared to its descent and therefore can be distinguished from a mostly straight downward descent like a round parachute.Īlthough the human application of gliding flight usually refers to aircraft designed for this purpose, most powered aircraft are capable of gliding without engine power. It is employed by gliding animals and by aircraft such as gliders. Gliding flight is heavier-than-air flight without the use of thrust the term volplaning also refers to this mode of flight in animals. For the sport of soaring in gliders (sailplanes), see Gliding.
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