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At 09:57 PM 9/4/03 -0600, R.J. Chevalier wrote:
>I was surprised to learn that when gliders are competing in races, some
of
>them have wing tanks that are filled with water to weigh them down. It
>increases the L/D ratio and they glide faster and therefore further for
>each foot they go down than they would have without the extra weight.
It gives the glider "penitration" thorugh the air, Dick.
My first ground school was "motor-less flight,"
taught by a local glider pilot. I do remember him
mentioning the water, and saying it could be
jetisoned if needed. Seems that they do that in
the pattern. Seems some fellow had been up
real high one day and tried to do that. Seems
it had frozen and gave him a heck of a thrill...
Percy in Portland
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