Best Glide Speeds

Perhaps we should cut right to the life-saving takeaway: If youre engine-out in a typical single and gliding into a headwind of 15 knots or more, pitching down to at least 10 knots over published best glide speed will probably extend your glide range. This is true down to short final. Holding best glide into a headwind on short final and see you clearly wont make it? Pitch down and see if that improves things. Just remember to slow back to your normal procedures for the actual landing, using or shedding those extra knots as necessary.

Key Takeaways:

• When gliding engine-out into a headwind of 15 knots or more, pitching down to increase airspeed (e.g., 10-15 knots over published best glide speed) will likely extend your glide range and improve chances of reaching a landing spot.
• Published best glide speed (Vg) is often for gross weight and calm winds; it should be adjusted for actual weight and significantly increased when flying into a headwind to optimize ground distance over the ground.
• Pilots should practice adapting glide speeds for wind conditions, similar to glider pilots' "Speed to Fly" techniques, and manage altitude proactively for engine-out scenarios, as conventional Vg training is often incomplete.

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