Originally Posted by
BlueMoon
You need to look at your AOM and see what it says. The AOM where I work says to use the most fuel efficient descent profile, when able, above 10k. It gives the profile as 500fpm when descending prior to TOD, and a flight idle descent from TOD to 10k. That being said almost everyone uses 1000fpm for anything more than 1000' descent (theVnav will give you 1000fpm till it intercepts the imputed descent angle.
Below 10k 1000fpm is the AOM standard unless a higher descent rate is needed.
This is the best answer. This burns the least amount of fuel and it's pretty rare that ATC says anything about a 500' descent rate. If they do, increase you rate of descent.