Scott,
Sorry and all that, but if you want the 'normal descent rate for a jet' but you don't want it to 'glide down', how do you propose we should lose height?
The ideal jet profile for descent is a glide from ToD to about 1500ft AAL. The only means of going down faster is to use speedbrakes, and that's inefficient.
As for asking about RoD and not being given a straight reply, that's because aircraft don't normally descend at a constant rate, but, rather, a constant speed. The rate varies. We can give you a specific rate, by using Vertical Speed mode, but there are problems with this, as selecting too high a rate will result in the speed getting too high. Some airlines don't allow use of V/S with the thrust levers closed, either, so they will only give you a constant rate that it less than their normal rate, which by the tone of your post, is not what you want.
So, what those pilots are saying is, 'we can't tell you our rate of descent because it isn't constant, but if you want us to give you a constant one, we'll try to fly it'.
allthenines, you're spot on about 500fpm. I always use 1000fpm and V/S in holding situations, to give a definite rate but avoid nuisance RAs. Sadly, a lot of aircraft have autoflight systems which don't know about the 500fpm bit, and will almost fly level to decelerate.
[ 22 August 2001: Message edited by: NorthernSky ]