FreeFlight
The Journal
Crosswind Arithmetic: Splitting the Wind
Wind is rarely straight up the slope. It arrives at an angle, and the angle matters as much as the speed — because what a launch cares about is not the…
Wing Loading: What Actually Changes
Wing loading is the total flying weight divided by the wing area, and it is the single number that most determines how a given glider will feel. The same…
A 20 km/h Headwind Halves Your Glide
A glider's glide ratio is a property of the wing, not of the day. A 9.6:1 wing glides 9.6 metres forward for every metre it descends through the air, and…