A method of operating a disk drive. The disk drive includes a disk having a disk
surface, a slider disposable adjacent the disk surface, and a slider loading/unloading
ramp for the slider. The method includes rotating the disk at a loading speed.
The method further includes loading the slider from the loading/unloading ramp
at a loading fly height above the disk surface. The method further includes rotating
the disk at an operational speed greater than the loading speed. The method further
includes operating the slider at an operational fly height above the disk surface
less than the loading fly height above the disk surface. The method further includes
rotating the disk at an unloading speed less than the operational speed. The method
further includes unloading the slider from the disk to the loading/unloading ramp
at an unloading fly height greater than the operational fly height.
