IF descent. time or distance?
Thread Starter
Joined: Dec 2005
Posts: 59
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From: FL510 aussie expat
IF descent. time or distance?
hi all,
I have recently attained my ME Instrument Rating and am having a few troubles with finding a suitable Top of Descent point given:
-non controlled ie. no clearance required for descent
-unpressurised (so 500'/minute descent to keep the punters happy)
-piston engine (which we don't want to shock cool by pulling the power back to 17" MAP to keep the speed in the green on descent)
-arrive overhead the IAF/holding fix at the correct speed and height.
any suggestions folks?
time or distance to decide top of descent?
Cheers all!!
V
I have recently attained my ME Instrument Rating and am having a few troubles with finding a suitable Top of Descent point given:
-non controlled ie. no clearance required for descent
-unpressurised (so 500'/minute descent to keep the punters happy)
-piston engine (which we don't want to shock cool by pulling the power back to 17" MAP to keep the speed in the green on descent)
-arrive overhead the IAF/holding fix at the correct speed and height.
any suggestions folks?
time or distance to decide top of descent?
Cheers all!!
V
Joined: Sep 2006
Posts: 325
Likes: 0
From: 10 west
i have always used treble the altitude converted to distance...
so ...FL100 X 3 = 30 NM.works fine for me.....to decide you may on occasion ( if you know you are to be vectored around the airport for an approach at the other side ) have to ask radar to give you descent at '' 30 track miles '' instead...if you want to be accurate...otherwise the worst that happens is you get to clearance altitude a little further out...
was a very good article done on prune ( not sure which forum...maybe this one... back in december 06 on '' rules of thumb ''. maybe a search will reveal....
hope thats of some help...
the dean.
ps sorry...i see its uncontrolled..
well the same applies from your position to the fix...
so ...FL100 X 3 = 30 NM.works fine for me.....to decide you may on occasion ( if you know you are to be vectored around the airport for an approach at the other side ) have to ask radar to give you descent at '' 30 track miles '' instead...if you want to be accurate...otherwise the worst that happens is you get to clearance altitude a little further out...
was a very good article done on prune ( not sure which forum...maybe this one... back in december 06 on '' rules of thumb ''. maybe a search will reveal....
hope thats of some help...
the dean.
ps sorry...i see its uncontrolled..
well the same applies from your position to the fix...
