free flight

noun

1. unassisted or unconstrained flight, as the flight of a rocket or missile without guidance or after fuel exhaustion or motor cutoff.

free flight

noun

1. the flight of a rocket, missile, etc, when its engine has ceased to produce thrust

Word History and Origins

Origin of free flight¹

First recorded in 1920–25

Example Sentences

WhiteKnightTwo carried SpaceShipTwo to 50,000 feet before releasing it for free flight.

From The Daily Beast

They offered free flight instruction and other courses in aeronautics to all comers.

From The Daily Beast

But he did notice that she looked rapt and starry-eyed even through the long and dreary hours of free flight.

From Project Gutenberg

He has watched with envy the free flight of birds, and has tried to imitate it, usually with disastrous results.

From Project Gutenberg

The rocket was now in free flight, its inertia counteracting gravitational pull.

From Project Gutenberg

In some cases the insects were held in forceps, and in other cases they were allowed free flight in a cardboard box.

From Project Gutenberg

He developed and successfully launched the first gasoline model aeroplane capable of sustained free flight.

From Project Gutenberg