Flight Training Central

JANUARY 10, 2025

Descent planning is a critical yet often overlooked aspect of managing your flight. And if not planned properly, a poorly executed descent can present challenges and unnecessary risks when transitioning to an approach or the traffic pattern. Finally, you can enable messages to alert you as to when to begin the descent.

Descent 98

Descent Groundspeed Flight Plan AGL 98

Air Facts

MAY 10, 2024

Perhaps just prior to the start of descent could be the optimum time–certainly completed no later than commencement of approach. Recall that we must remain at or above MDA until we are in a normal position to perform a normal rate of descent to landing. Will the vertical speed necessary comply with required descent criteria?

Approach 96

Approach AGL Descent Runway 96

Air Facts

APRIL 29, 2024

At the current groundspeed, I believed it shouldn’t be of much concern unless the cell began producing lightning. I requested a descent from 6,000’ down to 4,000’ and was denied due to traffic. I was soon cleared to descend to 4,000’ and entered IMC during the descent while I located the approach chart to brief.

Descent 96

Descent Approach Weather AGL 96

Plane and Pilot

NOVEMBER 27, 2024

FAA weather charts can help for higher altitudes but when just a few thousand feet agl, they may be less useful. Flight idle and nose down, which normally produced a 2,000-3,000-feet descent rate, resulted in a 2,000-feet-per-minute climb. We continued our descent into Great Falls, leaving “the wave” behind and above.

Turbulence 73

Turbulence Weather Knot Descent 73