WOLFRAM|DEMONSTRATIONS PROJECT

Flight of a Glider

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initial velocity
release angle
drag coefficient
This Demonstration shows the flight path of a glider, depending on the initial velocity of the plane, its release angle, and the plane's drag coefficient
d
. The flight is governed by Lanchester's system of autonomous nonlinear differential equations:
v'=-sinθ-d
2
v
,
θ'=
-cosθ+
2
v
v
,
where
v
is the velocity of the plane at a given time
t
and
θ
is the angle between the horizontal and the plane at time
t
. The plot shows the distance traveled versus the height of the plane above the ground.