Flying skills
Descent
At a glance
Meaning of Descent
The flight phase during which aircraft altitude decreases.
More about Descent
A descent links the cruise portion of a flight with lower levels and the approach. Crews manage path, speed, configuration and required clearances.
Descent rate is height lost per unit of time. The distance required also depends on ground speed, so an unchanged vertical rate does not imply an unchanged descent angle over the ground.