A standard IFR climb gradient of 3.3% corresponds to approximately how many feet per nautical mile?

• A. 200 ft/NM
• B. 180 ft/NM
• C. 250 ft/NM
• D. 300 ft/NM

Answer: (A)

A climb gradient expressed as a percentage is a vertical rise per horizontal run. So 3.3% means 3.3 feet gained for every 100 feet traveled horizontally. To find feet per nautical mile, use the length of a nautical mile in feet: about 6,076 ft. Multiply 0.033 by 6,076 ft, which equals roughly 200.5 ft. So a 3.3% gradient corresponds to about 200 feet per nautical mile. In practice, you’d round to the nearest practical value, giving around 200 ft/NM.