Abstract: A method and apparatus for calibrating a flying height measurement instrument that: (1) precisely determines the actual height of a recording head over a disk, (2) is inexpensive, (3) permits the head whose flying height is to be measured to be used during the calibration procedure, and (4) is nondestructive to the calibration apparatus. In addition, the present invention can be used to calibrate different flying height measurement instruments and is independently verifiable. During the inventive calibration process, a special calibration slider is positioned over a measurement disk of a flying height measurement instrument in place of a slider which normally flies over the measurement disk when the flying height of a slider is being measured. The calibration slider has at least one support structure of a known height.