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Originally Posted by Nawty  You talking gliders as in encased proper gliders or the gliders as in hang gliders ? |
Proper gliders.
A modern fibre glass / composite like a Nimbus 4 has a lift to drag ratio of better than 60:1, i.e. 60 kms forward for every 1000 meters loss in height.
I owned a Dart 17R in the 80's which was close to the peak of the old wood and fabric technology. That had a lift to drag ratio of 37:1. That could have done a channel crossing easily in normal circumstances.
Not many people actually bother to do this, as logistically it was a bugger getting back
