Or shallow out as GS decreases if you so desire. And if you have a speed restriction at the fix, tack on an extra mile for every 10 knots you need to lose. Again, just a good rule of thumb.

And remember everyone, the pu$$y paddles are for your mistakes, NOT the controllers.

3:1 calculation gives you a 3-degree glideslope.

1-degree nose down = ~100 ft/nm down

Therefore, another, perhaps easier way (depends on how your brain works I guess) to come up with the same 2,100 fpm above would be:

420 GS = 7 nm/min
7 * 3 (your desired glideslope) = 21 (add the zeros to get 2,100 fpm)

For crossing restrictions, figure out the required glideslope, then use that x your NM/min to determine fpm.

For years on our 727's we only had 2 VOR's and a DME...with no groundspeed readout (some things in the "good ole' days" weren't that good). I always used 3:1 and 3,000 fpm flight idle decent as a starting point - then checked my progress every 1,000 feet or so to see how I was doing and adjust the decent rate for apparent headwind/tailwind. I always enjoyed the challenge of timing the restrictions just right. Kept things interesting.

Of course, many of these rules of thumb will soon be lost on the next generation.

Soon the common answer is gonna be...

"Build the fix with the altitude restriction on the FMS, select VNAV, let the autopilot follow the snowflake." :rolleyes: (a part of me feels like it it cheating...tho I admit...it works very well;))

Also with the 3:1 rule, add a few miles of buffer if you have a strong tailwind. Also if you need to comply with a speed restriction (10,000ft and 250kts at XXXXX), I would increase the decent and/or distance to allow enough time to slow.

Good point. Imagine what it was like for the old old old guys telling young whippersnappers like you how easy you have it with the fancy schmancy vor/dme, and the super high tech HSI. "Back in their day", they were using celestial, or riding the beams, flying the colored airways. Heck, without the navigator they'd a been up the creek. Kids I tell ya' :D

The old guys used to complain..."you young kids with your fancy 'wing-warping'! In my day, when we wanted to turn, we had to shift our bodyweight!".:D


Seriously though, I love and embrace new technology in the cockpit. It certainly has made things nice. Different skill sets required, though - which is why some of the mental math gymnastics will all but go by the wayside someday. Anybody remember how to determine your distance from a crossing VOR or NDB by timing as you cross radials/bearings? The 60:1 thing?(I never could remember that one - nor did I ever find the need to use it.)

But I'm afraid that eventually it will get to the point when the "aircraft operator" will just push the "take me to Chicago" button and then watch it all happen, and then it won't be any fun anymore.

Only time I had to use the "60:1 thing" was on an interview where they wanted to know the distance traveled between 2 points on a dme arc

The answer is now.

OR

On a last leg of a nasty trip......*looking for the pre-filled out ASAP form*

I think apps are great and all, but some of these posts in this thread give an extremely easy way to do decent planning that will always be helpful in the airplane, and also helpful in the interview. I know you won't be pulling out the iPhone in that job interview.

Use the app with a grain of salt (is that the saying?). Learn a few fundamental rules of thumb and they will be with you for the next 30 years of your career.