ATC question

[mobie]

Descent rate

5 times your ground speed works for most cases. IE 500kts = 2500fpm.
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[zbwmy]

When ATC issues a descent for a turbo-jet aircraft, what descent rate do they expect? What is the minimum rate? Where is this published?

If it is a JAZZ pilot, do not expect a decent any time soon!!!

 

[kevdog]

If it is a JAZZ pilot, do not expect a decent any time soon!!!

decent Jazz sucks! Miles & Coltrane all the way!

 

[Flyerjosh]

Personally I can't say that there is a constant rate for my current job... When flying the CRJ at the airlines, the company SOP was for flight idle descents, which fell between about 2500FPM and 3000FPM.

However in the corporate environment, I imagine that if I were to regularly descend at flight idle, the boss would certainly have a fit. Generally I'll start down at 500FPM at high altitudes (above FL350) and increase as we get closer. Very rarely will you see anything above 2000FPM, and I try to aim for a continuous 1500FPM decent from cruise to landing.

 

[deafsound]

However in the corporate environment, I imagine that if I were to regularly descend at flight idle, the boss would certainly have a fit.

Why is that?

 

[wmuflyguy]

Why is that?

Just a Comfort thing. A slower decent keeps the pitch attitude of the airplane closet to level. If it is some rich guys jet, he prolly doesn't care about the gas as much as he cares about comfort.

 

[pilotviolin]

If it is like the rich guy in back we fly, I like to tell him I just saved him a couple minutes and a bunch of gas by staying up high and going fast. Most rich dudes I know got rich by being tight wads, and don't mind going down a little steeper, and saving time. We do no less than 3000 fpm descents from altitude, unless it is simple altitude changes or socal's famous steep downs 300 miles out. BTW ATC wastes more gas than SUV's do in a day.