Simviation Forum - descent rate

Mar 2^nd, 2003 at 10:05am

wace Offline
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when descending a twin prop aircraft what is the descent rate.If I am normally 3000ft altitude about
10nm from runaway is it correct altitude to start a descent.

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Reply #1 - Mar 2^nd, 2003 at 10:54am

liran_bar Offline
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Hey mate....

You should start your descend as soon as you get to the final approach leg (which is the beging of the green cone in your GPS monitor).
the descend rate on the final approach leg should be
+/-700 fpm.

Liran Bar, Israel

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Reply #2 - Mar 2^nd, 2003 at 5:31pm

ysteinbuch Offline
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Hey, Wace

You can also download descent calculators

(e.g. http://www.angelfire.com/mi/flightsim13/utilities.html).

These take care of the mathematical equations -- which can make it easier particularly when you fly the big ones and have to start descending from tens thousands of feet.

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Reply #3 - Mar 3^rd, 2003 at 6:34am

BAW19 Offline
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Wace, it really depends on your ground speed. If you're doing 50knots you need only descent at 250fpm but if you're doing 1000knots you'll need about 5000fpm or you'll overshoot!!

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Reply #4 - Mar 3^rd, 2003 at 6:44am

daveok Offline
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I've found a common formula on the forums abit lately, relating to this topic. Its goes closely as follows:
Say your at FL30,000. You drop the last 3 zero's, and then multiply 30X3, which equals 90. So then you start your desent at about 90nm from your dest.
Your at 5,000, 5X3=15.
Hope this helps. 8)

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Reply #5 - Mar 3^rd, 2003 at 9:48am

wace Offline
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Thanks for the replies on descent rate,
the suggestions on the green gps cone & calculations to descend based on altitude & speed were really helpful

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Reply #6 - Mar 3^rd, 2003 at 11:25am

fisharno Offline
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Maybe it's just me, but 5,000 f.p.s. seems awful fast.

I fly the "heavies" almost exclusively, so the max rate of decent I hit is never over 2,500 f.p.s.
And, that's pushing it well over the normal 1,800 f.p.s. decent from cruise altitude.

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Reply #7 - Mar 4^th, 2003 at 6:13am

BAW19 Offline
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Fisharo - it was just an example! I'd only ever descend at 5000fpm if I'd opened the door and jumped

My point was that if you know your ground speed you can calculate your ideal Vertical speed - the speed that puts you on a good glideslop.

This is only useful though if you've also used the 3x rule to start your descent at the right point.

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Reply #8 - Mar 4^th, 2003 at 6:21am

FSTipster Offline
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If you can find it (as usual I don't know where I got it from), there's a gauge that does it for you:

DescCalculator.gau

It's a digital readout and works very well.

When I was talking to Rob Barendregt about the gauges for the Baron panel, I suggested he might have a go at a more uptodate version. We can only wait and see.

&&

Click the banner to visit the site

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Reply #9 - Mar 4^th, 2003 at 3:56pm

fisharno Offline
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Speedbird_03;

Sorry. I see now.

But you know that there are some people out there that slam on full flaps, drop the gear and nose dive from 30,000 ft.

Grin

Al

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