This is relevant, honest!!
We all (I believe) appreciate the 500 fpm minimum climb and descent rates out in the wide airspace and the reasons for it. However, when is this 'requirement' considered to end? In a certain large BRITISH company, it is written in blood that thou shalt not disobey this rule and the route checkers make great deals of this. However, then we come to the constant descents....told you it was relevant.
Due to varying winds, decaying brain cells and pure stupidity, I often get my initial 'stab' at a descent rate not quite right and find that I'm either stalking the G/S from above or worse (in the case of CDAs) from below. Very often I then have to reduce my RoD to less than 500 fpm. Now in my mind there is no danger in that. I'm not about to clout someone on the final part of G/S intercept (or something, much more significant, has gone very wrong) and the spacing with other a/c has been sorted out by you geniuses on the ground.
So, tell me, is it written in the Book of ATC when the 500 fpm 'rule' ends........it would be great to bring it up at the next route check
And........
Recover