Glide Distance from Altitude Calculator

A core engine-out planning number

Knowing exactly how far an aircraft can glide from a given altitude at its published best glide speed directly determines which landing sites are actually reachable in an engine failure - a calculation pilots are trained to keep running mentally throughout a flight.

Worked example

For 5,000 ft AGL and a 9:1 glide ratio:

Glide Distance = (5000 x 9) / 6076.12 = 7.41 nautical miles

Frequently asked questions

Why does the glide ratio matter so much? Glide ratio (horizontal distance traveled per unit of altitude lost) varies significantly by aircraft type - a typical single-engine trainer might glide around 9:1, while a dedicated glider can exceed 40:1, resulting in dramatically different reachable distances from the same starting altitude.

Should pilots plan to the maximum calculated distance? No - prudent planning uses a safety margin below the theoretical maximum, since wind, altitude loss during any turn to a landing site, and less-than-perfect best-glide-speed flying all reduce the practically achievable distance below the calculated maximum.