Sink rate
The speed at which a glider descends through still air.
What it means
It belongs to the glider and how it is flown, whereas sink is air moving downwards; the variometer shows the combined result. Sink rate is related to glide ratio but describes vertical speed only.
Example in context
In the weak lift, a low sink rate was what kept me up.
Sources and review
- Ozone Atom 3 – User Manual (EN) (opens in a new tab)
- Jakub Vrána — Paraglidingový slang: o letu (opens in a new tab)
Reviewed: