rottydaddy
En-Route
Doing some review of my study materials, and looking at the stuff about polars, with wind or sink, I realize I don't quite understand something...
Having not really done any xc (and without a McC ring), I haven't had the chance to really study the matter empirically.... but I totally get flying faster than best L/D in sink to get out of it ASAP, sacrificing a little altitude to avoid losing a lot of altitude.
But I don't get this: if distance is the goal, how does it help to fly faster than best L/D, in sink or a headwind, if any speed other than best L/D will always yield a less favorable glide ratio, and higher rate of descent?
Obviously, it pays to abandon min sink speed in sinking air, esp. if you want to scoot over to that field or runway before you get too low... but going above best L/D isn't going to get you more distance , especially in a headwind.
So why is it recommended, for sink or wind? Is it because in practice, it usually works out, because sink is a bigger problem than headwinds for meeting distance goals?
As Vinnie Barbarino used to say: "I'm so confused..."
Having not really done any xc (and without a McC ring), I haven't had the chance to really study the matter empirically.... but I totally get flying faster than best L/D in sink to get out of it ASAP, sacrificing a little altitude to avoid losing a lot of altitude.
But I don't get this: if distance is the goal, how does it help to fly faster than best L/D, in sink or a headwind, if any speed other than best L/D will always yield a less favorable glide ratio, and higher rate of descent?
Obviously, it pays to abandon min sink speed in sinking air, esp. if you want to scoot over to that field or runway before you get too low... but going above best L/D isn't going to get you more distance , especially in a headwind.
So why is it recommended, for sink or wind? Is it because in practice, it usually works out, because sink is a bigger problem than headwinds for meeting distance goals?
As Vinnie Barbarino used to say: "I'm so confused..."
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