[roeles]

Glide ratio and weight are not related. Weight shifts the glide Polar to higher speeds and theoretically improves it slightly due to Reynolds effects.

[rkomorn]

"Weight doesn't affect glide ratio" is one of these things I learned why taking flying lessons that still feels counterintuitive every time I read it.

(Don't worry, reader, I never intended to get a pilot's license.)

[ahartmetz]

I don't think it's completely true. Higher weight increases the speed at which the glide ratio is optimal, and drag (parasitic drag in particular, unrelated to generating lift) increases with the square of speed. Basically, flying faster wastes more energy. That effect is going to dominate at some point, probably about 120 km/h or so with a typical glider. At 200 km/h, the glide ratio is garbage (but it's fun). I have flown gliders.

I'm not sure if simple descriptions of the phenomenon that glide ratio is independent of weight are missing an asterisk or if I'm just wrong...

A decent glider has a ratio of 1:40, an A320 1:17. Is the A320 a "bad plane" or is it optimized for higher speed with the corresponding worse glide ratio? (It also has engines that produce a lot of drag when gliding)

[hermitcrab]

So, 2 gliders with identical geometry, one standard and one made of lead will have the same glide angle? That sounds unlikely.