/
Article

The art and physics of soaring

APR 01, 1984
With the advent of modern molded composite materials, the performance of sailplanes has improved dramatically and sparked a renaissance in the sport.
Lloyd Hunter

Modern materials technology, combined with three‐quarters of a century of experience in glider design, has given us sailplanes capable of superb performance. In the hands of a pilot who understands the basic physics of soaring and has mastered the art of maneuvering his craft, the sailplane of today offers a truly exhilarating sport, whether one’s interest is in recreation or competition.

This article is only available in PDF format

More about the authors

Lloyd Hunter, University of Rochester, Rochester, New York.

Related content
/
Article
To go beyond classical models and tie our understanding of gravity to the quantum world, experiments are needed.
/
Article
The first African American physicist to earn a PhD made the best of a difficult career path.
/
Article
Apprehension about career pathways and research funding dominated the list of concerns expressed by physics and astronomy undergraduates in a recent survey.
/
Article
This Content Appeared In
pt-cover_1984_04.jpeg

Volume 37, Number 4

Get PT newsletters in your inbox

pt_newsletter_card_blue.png
PT The Week in Physics

A collection of PT's content from the previous week delivered every Monday.

pt_newsletter_card_darkblue.png
PT New Issue Alert

Be notified about the new issue with links to highlights and the full TOC.

pt_newsletter_card_pink.png
PT Webinars & White Papers

The latest webinars, white papers and other informational resources.

By signing up you agree to allow AIP to send you email newsletters. You further agree to our privacy policy and terms of service.