volplane

American  

[vol-pleyn] / ˈvɒlˌpleɪn /

verb (used without object)

volplaned, volplaning

1. to glide toward the earth in an airplane, with no motor power or with the power shut off.

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noun

1. a glide in an airplane.

Other Word Forms

• volplanist
  noun

Etymology

Origin of volplane

1905–10; < French vol plané glided flight, equivalent to vol flight (noun derivative of voler < Latin volāre to fly) + plané, past participle of planer to glide ( see plane ¹)

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

volplane volplaned volplaning

Meanwhile Sir Alan Cobham had been forced by a faulty spark plug to volplane to earth near Nuneaton.

From Time Magazine Archive

How about the wings of the airplane standing the strain when Tom suddenly brought that volplane to a stop and tried to sail on an even keel again?

From Air Service Boys Over The Enemy's Lines The German Spy's Secret by Beach, Charles Amory

Without a moment's delay Barcroft switched off the ignition and commenced a volplane.

From Billy Barcroft, R.N.A.S. A story of the Great War by Westerman, Percy F. (Percy Francis)

The A.P. began to reel in the trailing length of wireless aerial, while the pilot, shutting off the motor, began a spiral volplane towards the surface of the water.

From Billy Barcroft, R.N.A.S. A story of the Great War by Westerman, Percy F. (Percy Francis)

It banked up on a sharp turn, dropped like a stone fully a thousand feet, making a magnificent volplane, and scurried away like a frightened vulture, dropping and dropping in a series of gigantic swoops.

From The Sequel What the Great War will mean to Australia by Taylor, George A. (George Augustine)

When he had to come down he found he was right near our airdrome, so he volplaned right down on our field.

From The Brighton Boys with the Flying Corps by Driscoll, James R. [pseud.]

Tom now volplaned again, wishing to draw nearer to the earth.

From Air Service Boys Over The Enemy's Lines The German Spy's Secret by Beach, Charles Amory

Others in long slants volplaned toward the hidden sea, miles below the cloud-plain.

From The Flying Legion by England, George Allan

So I cut off the ignition and volplaned.

From The Lone Wolf A Melodrama by Vance, Louis Joseph

Once he shut off the engines and volplaned down a thousand feet or more.

From Air Service Boys Over The Enemy's Lines The German Spy's Secret by Beach, Charles Amory

We have the devotees of St. Vitus' dance called Jazz . . . volplaning down the descending scale.

From Time Magazine Archive

The latter began at once to descend as if either he or his machine were hit, and shutting off his engine and volplaning to free his hands, the pursuer recharged his magazine.

From The New York Times Current History of the European War, Vol 1, Issue 4, January 23, 1915 by Various

To Bob, who having crossed the crest of the hill had shut off his motor and volplaning, the shots and cries of the attackers came distinctly.

From The Radio Boys on the Mexican Border by Breckenridge, Gerald

"If the motors go back on us we'll be in a bad fix; and volplaning to the ground isn't always as easy as it's pictured, especially when you've no choice of a landing."

From Air Service Boys over the Atlantic by Beach, Charles Amory

Yes!” he snapped, volplaning the 6sheet across the table with a vicious jerk of his wrist.

From Whispering Wires by Leverage, Henry