Glide Ratio Calculator
Enter airspeed and lift-to-drag ratio to calculate glide ratio, maximum glide distance from any altitude, and sink rate.
Aircraft Performance Inputs
Found in your aircraft POH / flight manual.
Also called glide ratio. E.g. 9 means 9:1.
Height above ground level for glide distance calculation.
Common L/D Ratios
Enter airspeed and L/D ratio, then click Calculate.
Glide Ratio
—
: 1
Horizontal distance traveled per foot of altitude lost.
Sink Rate
—
ft / min
—
m / s
Max Glide Distance from Altitude
—
nautical miles
—
statute miles
—
kilometers
Still air, from — ft AGL.
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Summary
Enter airspeed and lift-to-drag ratio to calculate glide ratio, maximum glide distance from any altitude, and sink rate.
How it works
- Enter your aircraft's best glide airspeed in knots.
- Enter the lift-to-drag (L/D) ratio from your aircraft's performance charts.
- Optionally enter your current altitude above ground level (AGL) in feet.
- The calculator instantly computes the glide ratio (horizontal distance per foot of altitude lost).
- Maximum glide distance and sink rate are displayed in multiple units for convenience.
Use cases
- Determine maximum glide range during engine-out emergencies.
- Compare glide performance between different aircraft types.
- Pre-flight planning for mountain or cross-country flights.
- Verify published glide ratio figures from aircraft flight manuals.
- Training exercises to understand energy management in gliders and powered aircraft.
- Calculate sink rate for approach planning without a glide slope.
Frequently Asked Questions
Last updated: 2026-07-22 ·
Reviewed by Nham Vu