When weight decreases, what happens to glide speed?

When the weight of an aircraft decreases, its glide speed is affected primarily due to the relationship between weight and lift. Glide speed is defined as the speed at which an aircraft can maintain level flight while descending.

As weight decreases, the required lift to maintain a certain altitude also decreases. To achieve this lower required lift, the aircraft can glide at a slower speed since less lift is needed to counter the reduced weight. Consequently, this results in a lower glide speed. However, because the aircraft is lighter, it can cover a greater distance for the same amount of altitude lost, leading to an increased glide range.

The increase in glide range happens because, even though the speed decreases, with a lighter weight, the aircraft can maintain a more efficient angle of attack, allowing it to travel further horizontally relative to the vertical distance it descends. This is why the correct answer relates to an increase in glide range accompanied by a decrease in glide speed.