Enroute Decsent rates /MIN-MAX

[Turbine Cowboy]

Hi Guys,

Are we governed by any regulation restricting our descent rates Enroute down to the IAF?

(Aside from the 1000fpn in RVSM approaching new cruising level)

Need a quick reply

Thank you all.

TC:ooh: :confused:

[GlueBall]

Speed up to Barber Pole down to and including 10000' MSL, 250Kts below...unless otherwise posted. Rate of descent optional, but not less than 500fpm....unless otherwise posted.

[Homepage]

The only limits I can recall are the MINIMUM 500fpm rate of climb AND descent. If unable to comply, atc must be informed.

Can't recall hearing of a MAXIMUM rate of climb or descent.

Although there are a few airlines that have a SOP ROD of 2000fpm. Can be exceeded for a valid reason if announced.
Other SOPs recommend maintaining a MAX ROD/C in terminal areas of 1000fpm. This helps reduce TCAS alerts triggered by high vertical speeds.

Hope it helps.

[richjb]

Any reason why you ask this question? I've often been wondering about this myself.

In an effort to enhance fuel economy, stay high longer, I've been limiting descent rates to no more than 1,000 FPM unitl intercepting VNAV glide path. Some have questioned this procedure (speaking from the USA system).

After querrying various US ATC facilities, the general response I received was not less than 1,000 FPM for early descents. Most early descents are the result of LOA between center sectors and are not traffic-conflict related.

Has anyone heard othewise, speaking from a US airspace user's point of view?

Thanks

[Turbine Cowboy]

Me too. I found myself wondering what does the controler actualy expect from me aside from the known limitations.

For example in the descent page we are SOP'd to follow whatever ECON is at the time but comming into ORD after a long haul and light weight it gives you .779 / 256 and that I would think be silly cause other traffic is planning a 300 kts descent and here I am holding everybody back.

The ECON also give you a sort of a shallow descent.

Just wondered

TC

[Capt Fathom]

As the manifold pressure increases on descent, don't pull it back, just increase the RPM instead....and away we go....:E

[calypso]

In our outfit another SOP is 3000 Fpm max rate of descent within 3000' of the MSA.

In any case more than that is difficult to achieve unles accelerating.

BTW the 500 Fpm requirement only applies above the transition level (UK).

[alexban]

I maybe wrong,but in some contries they expect a minimum ROD of 1500' (in Europe mostly) .Maybe some atc fellow will explain more.

[richjb]

TC,

What type aircraft do you fly? I'm in a Lear 45 and DA2000. We can match any descent rate the controller desires. That's the nice thing about light jets, we can come out of the sky like a brick.

I made a series of querries to US ARTCC QA officers about 2 years ago. All said that the mininum rate was 500 FPM. Beyond that, anywhere from 1,000 to 1,500 FPM. !,500 FPM in the face of a 100 headwind is only about 500 FPM less than what you'd get using a 3.0 degree VNAV descent.

I've asked this question on other forums and get some pilots who say get down quick, others say it's ATC problem to let me know what descent rate they need.

The universial answer from both the ARTCC OA folks is if in doubt, ask the controller what he/she needs.

Take care,

Rich