volplane

== English == === Etymology === From French vol plané (“gliding flight”). === Pronunciation === IPA(key): /ˈvɒlpleɪn/ === Noun === volplane (plural volplanes) A steep, controlled dive, especially by an aircraft with the engine off. === Verb === volplane (third-person singular simple present volplanes, present participle volplaning, simple past and past participle volplaned) To perform a volplane. 1916, Wilfred Percy ("Billie") Nevill, letter, in 1991, Ruth Elwin Harris (editor), Billie: The Nevill Letters, 1914-1916, Julia Macrae, page 143, […] when well over the bosche[sic – meaning Boche] lines & he volplaned home, just skimmed over our & the Bosche trenches, they all fired at him like sin, of course, and landed about 1000 yards back on a hill. (of a bird or gliding animal) To glide.