Climb Gradient Calculator

Climb Gradient is a measure of an aircraft’s vertical climb performance and is defined as the ratio of the change in altitude to the horizontal distance traveled. The climb gradient is also known as the “angle of climb” or “rate of climb”. In a steady climb, the thrust must exceed the drag to provide the necessary excess force for ascent, and the climb gradient is the ratio of this net force to the weight of the aircraft. The formula to calculate Climb Gradient as follows:

Where:

• $G$ is the climb gradient ,
• $T$ is the thrust produced by the engines,
• $D$ is the aerodynamic drag acting on the aircraft,
• $W$ is the weight of the aircraft.