Jetliner | cruise L/D | First flight |
---|---|---|
L1011-100 | 14.5 | Nov 16, 1970 |
DC-10-40 | 13.8 | Aug 29, 1970 |
A300-600 | 15.2 | Oct 28, 1972 |
MD-11 | 16.1 | Jan 10, 1990 |
B767-200ER | 16.1 | Sep 26, 1981 |
A310-300 | 15.3 | Apr 3, 1982 |
B747-200 | 15.3 | Feb 9, 1969 |
B747-400 | 15.5 | Apr 29, 1988 |
B757-200 | 15.0 | Feb 19, 1982 |
A320-200 | 16.3 | Feb 22, 1987 |
A330-300 | 18.1 | Nov 2, 1992 |
A340-200 | 19.2 | Apr 1, 1992 |
A340-300 | 19.1 | Oct 25, 1991 |
B777-200 | 19.3 | Jun 12, 1994 |
Flight article | Scenario | L/D ratio/ glide ratio |
---|---|---|
Eta (glider) | Gliding | 70[12] |
Great frigatebird | Soaring over the ocean | 15-22 at typical speeds[13] |
Hang glider | Gliding | 15 |
Air Canada Flight 143 (Gimli Glider) | a Boeing 767-200 with all engines failed caused by fuel exhaustion | ~12 |
British Airways Flight 9 | a Boeing 747-200B with all engines failed caused by volcanic ash | ~15 |
US Airways Flight 1549 | a Airbus A320-214 with all engines failed caused by bird strike | ~17 |
Paraglider | High performance model | 11 |
Helicopter | Autorotation | 4 |
Powered parachute | Rectangular/elliptical parachute | 3.6/5.6 |
Space Shuttle | Approach | 4.5[14] |
Hypersonic Technology Vehicle 2 | Equilibrium hypersonic gliding estimate[15] | 2.6 |
Wingsuit | Gliding | 2.5 |
Northern flying squirrel | Gliding | 1.98 |
Space Shuttle | Hypersonic | 1[14] |
Apollo CM | Reentry | 0.368[16] |
The maximum lift-to-drag ratio of the complete helicopter is about 4.5