Glide distance from 5,000 ft AGL is approximately how many miles?

Glide distance from 5,000 ft AGL is approximately how many miles?

• A. 5 miles
• B. 7 miles
• C. 8 miles
• D. 6 miles

Answer: (D)

Glide distance is all about the glide ratio—the horizontal distance you can travel for every foot you lose in altitude. For many small training planes, a practical best-glide ratio is around 6:1. That means you cover about 6,000 feet of forward travel for every 1,000 feet you descend. From 5,000 feet above the ground, applying a 6:1 ratio gives about 30,000 feet of horizontal distance. That converts to roughly 5.7 miles, which is rounded to about 6 miles. The exact distance depends on the aircraft, weight, speed, and wind, but 6 miles is a sensible approximate answer for a typical light aircraft under normal conditions.

Glide distance is all about the glide ratio—the horizontal distance you can travel for every foot you lose in altitude. For many small training planes, a practical best-glide ratio is around 6:1. That means you cover about 6,000 feet of forward travel for every 1,000 feet you descend.

From 5,000 feet above the ground, applying a 6:1 ratio gives about 30,000 feet of horizontal distance. That converts to roughly 5.7 miles, which is rounded to about 6 miles. The exact distance depends on the aircraft, weight, speed, and wind, but 6 miles is a sensible approximate answer for a typical light aircraft under normal conditions.