[AntiKev]

The glide ratio is a little higher, in the high teens. Just a little bit worse than the Schweizer 2-33 glider at 23:1. High-performance sailplanes are as high as 60:1 and most general aviation aircraft vary from 8:1 to as high as 25 or 30.

[Publius6961]

Thank you...
Still digging here, if you'll pardon the expression...

[Publius6961]

The glide ratio for the A320 seems to be 17.

So he had to have been at a minimum altitude of around 36,000 feet to have pulled it off (assuming everything the pilot did was 'perfect'...)

I think luck played a major role here.