angle of bank wind direction and speed atmospheric sink/lift rate wing loading/gross weightNote that the units you choose are used for all output and need not be the same as those in the actual data set. All conversions will be handled for you.
Then click on 'Show' to see the best speed to fly under these conditions, or select another option to see an analysis.
Graphs are created using the JavaScript version of GNUPlot.
Note that if you have data of your own on your hard disk or Web site and you have downloaded this calculator to that site as well, then you can use your own data. If you do that, the data must be in a subdirectory just under this one by the name 'xydata' and in the proper format.
If you would like to see your glider's data on MY list, please send the data in the proper format to me. Be sure to indicate units!
Comments and concerns appreciated:
Bob Hanson
home page
MSC home page
Most of these data are approximations based on 2nd-order fits of glider polars. I have adapted the JavaScript code now to allow for infinite-order fits in any units. So if you have some data, please E-mail me. Contributions welcome and noted with a (*). Actual polar data will differ. Calculated and actual polar curves of many of these gliders are available.
*Credits
2nd-order fits: Manfred Burkert via Rich Carr of the Colorado Soaring Association.
2nd-order Discus: Carlos G=mez-Mira
2nd-order PW-5: J. Stingl
2nd-order Schweizer 1-26C: Brian Case
IS-28B2 Lark Polar Data: Paul Lynch
LS-4a Polar Data: Gary Ehrenfeld
Schweizer 1-35 Polar Data: Tom Rent
Schweizer 2-33 Polar Data: Mark Boyd
Xtreme Polar Data: Russ Hustead
GnuPlot for JavaScript: http://gnuplot.respawned.com