This means that for every 23 feet of forward travel, the altitude lost is how many feet?

• A. 1 foot
• B. 23 feet
• C. 0 feet
• D. 0.5 foot

Answer: (A)

In a steady glide, the forward distance you cover for each foot you lose in altitude is fixed by the aircraft’s glide ratio. A glide ratio of 23 to 1 means you travel 23 feet horizontally for every 1 foot you descend. So when you move 23 feet forward, your altitude loss is 1 foot. That’s why the correct amount of altitude lost is 1 foot. The other options would imply different glide ratios: descending 23 feet for 23 feet forward would be a 1:1 ratio; not losing any altitude would be a 0:1 ratio; descending half a foot would imply a much steeper glide (a 46:1 ratio). This concept helps you estimate how far you can glide from a given altitude.