"Tina" wrote in message
ups.com...
As best I can tell, it seems for a given configuration air speed for
best glide angle (I will define best as most shallow angle) changes
with weight, but the angle itself doesn't change much. Hi performance
gliders carry water to increase penetration into headwinds, dump it
to increase time aloft, but still go down about foot for every 20 some
they move thru the air, don't they?

For the best answers, take this question to rec.aviation.soaring.

First of all, a glide ratio (also called L/D for Lift/Drag) of only 20 is
considered very bad for a glider these days. Most training gliders will give
you in the low 30's and high performance gliders might beat 50.

For any given weight, every airframe has one speed that gives best L/D. As
weight increases, that speed increases. Because of winds, you may not always
choose your best glide speed to net the most distance over the ground. In
general, you slow down a bit for a tailwind and speed up a tad for a headwind to
gain the most distance over the ground.

Vaughn