Originally Posted by forgot to bid

Type in the FMS what you want. Type a speed if you want in the FMS and a speed at the cross restriction. Hit descent now or VNAV depending on if you've already hit descent now.

Now, watch that lovely and very accurate green arc come into view and it should show you hitting the altitude you put in the box slightly before your crossing restriction.

Now keep watching, in a minute or so it'll slide past the crossing fix. You're not done, keep watching... there, now its hopelessly well past the crossing fix the other pilot is jumping up and down, ATC is asking if you're going to make it and now you look for the panic button which is also the IAS button coupled to full blown spoilers and a ding from the back asking why you're such a ***.

VNAV 101.

Seriously, the key is how quick you're willing to abandon VNAV. On the 88 there are some that want you doing VNAV descents to the outer marker (slight bit of a cluster), some that will give you a dirty look if you so much as start a descent in VNAV and most who just give it the old college try and then determine whether to jump out of it or not.