A glide head having a portion thereof that is selectively extendable toward the rotating disk by the application of an electrical signal thereto. The extendable portion may be located on a side wing extending from a slider main body. The side wing may include a piezoelectric transducer with a relatively durable contact layer provided on the bottom portion thereof. The slider can be flown relatively close to the rotating media and the transducer can be activated to actuate the contact layer into a closer position relative to the rotating disk. The distance at which physical contact occurs may be measured.