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Soaring Achievements - for iPad/Mac/PC podcast artwork

PODCAST · education

Soaring Achievements - for iPad/Mac/PC

by The Open University

How does an aircraft without an engine stay up in the air? What factors affect a glider's performance and how far it can travel? Scientific experiments with gliders have been carried out since the 1930’s, particularly with relation to design. Mathematical modelling is used to make and refine gliders that perform as well as possible. The 8 video tracks on this album describe some of the highly mathematical concepts used by pilots, such as glide angle, the ‘best speed to fly’, and the intricacies of competition flying. The principles of gliding are described with the help of 3D graphics and archive film. This material makes up part of the course MST209, Mathematical methods and models.

Publisher-supplied feed metadata · PodParley refreshed Jan 22, 2026 · Source feed

Episodes

  1. Soaring Achievements

    A short introduction to this album.

  2. Gliding - an Introduction

    A brief history of the sport of gliding- flying an airplane without an engine. What factors affect a glider's performance.

  3. Mathematical Modelling

    The role of mathematical modelling in gliding, focusing on The British Overseas Nationals, a modern racing competition held in Le Blanc, France.

  4. A Lesson in Flying: Gliding Performance

    Ann Welch explains how to actually fly a glider. The Rhonsperber and Primary gliders are compared, with relation to glide ratio.

  5. Clouds and Thermals

    Ann Welch explains what a thermal is and why they are important in gliding.

  6. Performance Penalty: Speed

    A test flight demonstrates the performance penalty associated with speed, and how the results are plotted to generate a polar curve.

  7. Design for Headwind

    The materials used to build a glider, focusing on the weight of the wings and how this affects performance.

  8. Launching and Tracking

    Brian Spreckley explains how gliders in the British Overseas National will be tracked.

  9. The Art of Flying

    The constant process of modelling whilst flying, focusing on lift and glide speed. Pilots at the British Overseas Nationals discuss their flight.

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ABOUT THIS SHOW

How does an aircraft without an engine stay up in the air? What factors affect a glider's performance and how far it can travel? Scientific experiments with gliders have been carried out since the 1930’s, particularly with relation to design. Mathematical modelling is used to make and refine gliders that perform as well as possible. The 8 video tracks on this album describe some of the highly mathematical concepts used by pilots, such as glide angle, the ‘best speed to fly’, and the intricacies of competition flying. The principles of gliding are described with the help of 3D graphics and archive film. This material makes up part of the course MST209, Mathematical methods and models.

HOSTED BY

The Open University

CATEGORIES

Frequently Asked Questions

How many episodes does Soaring Achievements - for iPad/Mac/PC have?

Soaring Achievements - for iPad/Mac/PC currently has 18 episodes available on PodParley. New episodes are automatically indexed when they're published to the podcast feed.

What is Soaring Achievements - for iPad/Mac/PC about?

How does an aircraft without an engine stay up in the air? What factors affect a glider's performance and how far it can travel? Scientific experiments with gliders have been carried out since the 1930’s, particularly with relation to design. Mathematical modelling is used to make and refine...

How often does Soaring Achievements - for iPad/Mac/PC release new episodes?

Soaring Achievements - for iPad/Mac/PC has 18 episodes. Check the episode list to see recent publication dates and frequency.

Where can I listen to Soaring Achievements - for iPad/Mac/PC?

You can listen to Soaring Achievements - for iPad/Mac/PC on PodParley by clicking any episode. We provide an embedded audio player for direct listening, and you can also subscribe via your preferred podcast app using the RSS feed.

Who hosts Soaring Achievements - for iPad/Mac/PC?

Soaring Achievements - for iPad/Mac/PC is created and hosted by The Open University.
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