Examples
The following table includes some representative L/D ratios.
| Flight article | Scenario | L/D ratio |
|---|---|---|
| Virgin Atlantic GlobalFlyer | Cruise | 37 |
| Lockheed U-2 | Cruise | ~28 |
| Rutan Voyager | Cruise | 27 |
| Albatross | 20 | |
| Boeing 747 | Cruise | 17 |
| Common Tern | 12 | |
| Herring gull | 10 | |
| Concorde | M2 Cruise | 7.14 |
| Cessna 150 | Cruise | 7 |
| Helicopter | 100 kts speed | 4.5 |
| Concorde | Approach | 4.35 |
| House Sparrow | 4 |
In gliding flight, the L/D ratios are equal to the glide ratio (when flown at constant speed).
| Flight article | Scenario | L/D ratio / Glide ratio |
|---|---|---|
| Modern Sailplane | gliding | 45-70 (depending on span) |
| Hang glider | 15 | |
| Gimli glider | Boeing 767-200 with fuel exhaustion | ~12 |
| Paraglider | high performance model | 11 |
| Powered parachute | Rectangular/elliptical parachute | 3.6/5.6 |
| Space Shuttle | Approach | 4.5 |
| Wingsuit | Gliding | 2.5 |
| Northern flying squirrel | Gliding | 1.98 |
| Space Shuttle | Hypersonic | 1 |
| Apollo CM | Reentry | 0.368 |
Read more about this topic: Lift-to-drag Ratio
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