Aeronautical Terms beginning with G

Glide Ratio

The ratio between distance traveled and altitude lost during non-powered flight.

Glidepath

The path of an aircraft relative to the ground while approaching a landing.

Governing Range

The range of pitch a propeller governor can control during flight.

Governor

A control which limits the maximum rotational speed of a device.

Gross Weight

The total weight of a fully loaded aircraft including the fuel, oil, crew, passengers, and cargo.

Ground Adjustable Trim Tab

A metal trim tab on a control surface that is not adjustable in flight. Bent in one direction or another while on the ground to apply trim forces to the control surface.

Gyroscopic Precession

An inherent quality of rotating bodies, which causes an applied force to be manifested 90º in the direction of rotation from the point where the force is applied.