Which sink rate is expected when the aircraft is landing gear down with a best glide speed of 105 KIAS?

When considering the sink rate expected during a glide with the landing gear down at the best glide speed of 105 knots indicated airspeed (KIAS), the selected answer of 1500 feet per minute (fpm) is reasonable based on typical performance characteristics of general aviation aircraft like the T-6B.

In flight training, understanding the glide performance is crucial—especially the relationship between airspeed and sink rate. At the best glide speed, the aircraft is in a configuration that maximizes its aerodynamic efficiency, allowing for the longest distance flown per altitude lost, but still incurs a noticeable sink rate.

For the T-6B, the best glide performance will yield a sink rate that is within the range of 1000 to 2000 fpm during a clean configuration (no drag sources). However, with the landing gear down, the drag increases significantly, which results in a higher sink rate.

Given this context, a sink rate of 1500 fpm reflects a balance between effective lifting characteristics and increased drag due to the landing gear. It indicates a realistic expectation for a training aircraft in a specific operational configuration, merging theoretical glide performance data with practical flight dynamics encountered in the T-6B during descending flight scenarios.

Understanding