Glide distance from 10,000 ft above ground level (AGL) is approximately how many miles?

Glide distance from 10,000 ft above ground level (AGL) is approximately how many miles?

• A. 12 miles
• B. 14 miles
• C. 13 miles
• D. 15 miles

Answer: (C)

Glide distance comes from the glide ratio—the forward distance you can travel for every unit of altitude you lose. For many light aircraft in a steady, best-glide configuration, that ratio is about 7:1. So, from 10,000 ft of altitude, you can cover roughly 7 × 10,000 ft = 70,000 ft. Converting to miles, 70,000 ft ÷ 5,280 ft per mile ≈ 13.3 miles. Rounded, that’s about 13 miles. Real conditions like wind, weight, and configuration can shift the exact number, but 13 miles is a solid approximation.

Glide distance comes from the glide ratio—the forward distance you can travel for every unit of altitude you lose. For many light aircraft in a steady, best-glide configuration, that ratio is about 7:1. So, from 10,000 ft of altitude, you can cover roughly 7 × 10,000 ft = 70,000 ft. Converting to miles, 70,000 ft ÷ 5,280 ft per mile ≈ 13.3 miles. Rounded, that’s about 13 miles. Real conditions like wind, weight, and configuration can shift the exact number, but 13 miles is a solid approximation.