Sender: <marv@lancaironline.net> (Marvin Kaye)
To: lml
Date: Tue, 30 Sep 2003 21:38:59 -0400
Message-ID: <redirect-2609837@logan.com>
From: RWolf99@aol.com
Subject: Glider Ballast
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Gliders use ballast to increase theire weight in order to glide faster.  
Gliders, like any other airplane, glide the farthest when flying at the angle of 
attack for best L/D.  If you want to win a glider race, you want the speed for 
best L/D to be as fast as possible.  You do this by making the airplane as 
heavy as possible.  The glide angle is unaffected (to first order) but you travel 
down that slope at a higher speed.  Note that the sink rate increases 
dramatically, and glider pilots just trying to stay aloft want to minimize the sink 
rate, so they don't use ballast.

Your suspicion is correct -- the next time there's a Lancair GLIDING race, he 
with the heaviest airplane will win.  (Hey, there's an idea!)

- Rob Wolf