Glider Instructor Full Practice Test 2026

When you’re passing through lift without trying to work it, your aim is to minimize your own descent so you can stay in the updraft longer. The minimum sink speed is the airspeed that produces the smallest descent rate for your glider in calm air. At this speed, your sink is minimized, so you remain in the lift longer as you cross through it. Flying faster would increase your sink and cause you to exit the lift sooner, while flying slower toward stall or much faster for “best glide” or cruise would either reduce control margins or waste the opportunity to stay in the lift. So, the best choice is the minimum sink speed.