What is the effect of weight on the glide range of an aircraft?

Glide range is fundamentally influenced by the lift-to-drag ratio of an aircraft, and this ratio remains relatively constant regardless of the weight of the aircraft during a glide. While it is true that heavier aircraft might require more lift, which could affect their performance, the lift-to-drag ratio is the primary determinant of how far an aircraft can glide compared to its altitude loss.

Essentially, the glide ratio is not directly impacted by weight, because both lift and drag will scale with weight during a glide, essentially offsetting any potential changes to the glide distance based on weight alone. Therefore, it's accurate to state that glide range is proportional to the lift-to-drag ratio, making weight a lesser direct factor in the glide calculation, especially within the context of standard operational parameters for an aircraft.

Understanding this relationship emphasizes that while weight considerations are important in broader aerodynamic performance assessments, the glide range specifically remains largely linked to the aerodynamic efficiency characterized by the aircraft's lift-to-drag ratio.