Using a best glide ratio of 23:1, how many feet would be lost if the glider travels 4 nautical miles?

• A. 1,000 feet
• B. 1,057 feet
• C. 1,100 feet
• D. 1,200 feet

Answer: (B)

Gliders use a glide ratio to relate forward travel to altitude lost. A glide ratio of 23:1 means you can travel 23 units of forward distance for every 1 unit of altitude you lose. To apply this, keep the distance in the same units as the ratio’s forward distance. Four nautical miles convert to feet: 4 nm × 6,076 ft/nm ≈ 24,304 ft. Then divide by 23 to find the altitude loss: 24,304 ÷ 23 ≈ 1,057 ft. So over 4 nautical miles, the glider would descend about 1,057 feet, which matches the given value. This is how glide ratio helps estimate altitude loss over a distance to plan for landings or safe alternatives.