Michael,
I think the conceptual split is roughly that a glider is any thrustless
aeroplane (aerodyne). A sailplane is any glider that can sustain
powerless flight. "Soaring" as Gary S pointed out.
We talk of hang gliders (not hang sailplanes) and some unkind people
have noted the H17 is a "glider" rather than a sailplane but both can do
soaring flights, so if there is a hard L/D definition I don't know of it.
Regards
SWK
On 20/09/2013 5:43 PM, Texler, Michael wrote:
Not exactly a sailplane either.
The space shuttle is a glider though. (But anything with the thrust
turned off is technically gliding, i.e. "Gimli Glider" wasn't called the
"Gimli Sailplane" though. Perhaps the alliteration of the "g" sound
rolls nicer off the tongue. But then why wasn't it called
"Sullenberger's Sailplane" when he landed in the Hudson...)
Ponders question, "What is the difference between a sailplane and a
glider?"
Could it be that a sailplane is defined by the intention for it being
used for gliding flight from the beginning of the flight ("I will take
my sailplane out for a gliding flight"), whereas any powered after can
accidently or intentionally become a glider when the thrust is turned
off ("Oh poop, my engine(s) failed, I have become a glider").
TPFIC
;-)
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