Modern flight management systems have vertical navigation planning, where the pilot simply enters what altitude they want to be at, at a certain way point, or distance from a waypoint, and the system can automatically compute a time of descent point to begin their descent at.
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How do pilots know when to start descending?

A: Pilots can calculate the speed of the airplane (miles per minute), the distance to go and determine the amount of time required (distance/speed). Knowing the amount of altitude to descend and the vertical speed of the descent, the proper time to begin the descent can be determined.
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How do pilots know how do you get to their destination?

In a car it's easy, you just follow the signs by the side of the road, but in the air, a pilot has no signs so how do they know where to go!? Today, pilots navigate using GPS-based systems in their aircraft. They fly between imaginary vertical points known as waypoints that are stored in the aircraft's GPS database.
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What is the 3 1 rule for descent?

In aviation, the rule of three or "3:1 rule of descent" is a rule of thumb that 3 nautical miles (5.6 km) of travel should be allowed for every 1,000 feet (300 m) of descent. For example, a descent from flight level 350 would require approximately 35x3=105 nautical miles.
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Does ATC tell pilots when to descend?

As you approach your destination, ATC will clear you to begin a descent from your enroute altitude to some lower altitude. Often descent clearances will come in a series of lower altitudes. This series of step-down clearances is issued to allow you to descend without conflicting with other traffic at lower altitudes.
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How does a PILOT KNOW when to DESCEND? Descent planning explained by CAPTAIN JOE

What is the 3 2 1 rule in aviation descent?

In aviation, the rule of three or "3:1 rule of descent" is that 3 miles of travel should be allowed for every 1,000 feet of descent. In the early days of aviation, few aircraft were pressurized. A pilot who descended rapidly would cause his passengers the discomfort of rapid pressure changes on their eardrums.
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Can a pilot overrule ATC?

(a) When an ATC clearance has been obtained, no pilot in command may deviate from that clearance unless an amended clearance is obtained, an emergency exists, or the deviation is in response to a traffic alert and collision avoidance system resolution advisory.
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What is the 90 10 rule in aviation?

Assess what is required to fly the missions you execute most often, and these are your must-haves regardless of the purchase. By nature these needs should influence roughly 90 percent of your decision. The other 10 percent is generally based on emotion.
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What is the aviation 3 6 rule?

For larger aircraft, typically people use some form of the 3/6 Rule: 3 times the altitude (in thousands of feet) you have to lose is the distance back to start the descent; 6 times your groundspeed is your descent rate.
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How fast do planes descend when landing?

Idle descent in many jets is around 3,000 feet per minute until reaching 10,000 feet. There is a speed restriction of 250 knots below 10,000 feet, therefore the flight management computer will slow the aircraft to 250 knots and continue the descent at approximately 1,500 feet per minute.
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What do pilots see at night?

At night pilots will turn their gaze from outside to inside and use the artificial horizon. The artificial horizon is normally a simply globe split into two hemispheres. Using this instrument, the pilot can determine whether the aircraft is in a climb, a dive, or rolling.
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What do pilots see when they fly?

Pilots have a unique viewpoint while flying private or commercial aircraft. They get an unobstructed view of stunning natural sights, such as pink lakes and rectangular-shaped icebergs. Some have reported seeing UFOs, while others have flown over swirling hurricanes.
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Do pilots sleep on long flights?

Aviation regulators set the total hours pilots fly and how much sleep they must get between flights. During ultra-long-haul flights, pilots sleep in special cabins, which passengers can't access.
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Why do pilots throttle up when landing?

A: As a jet descends toward the runway, the pilot increases the power to maintain a specific descent rate (usually around 700 feet per minute). Jet engines require time to accelerate, so the increase in thrust (known as spooling up) improves the ability to go around should it be necessary.
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Do pilots get nervous before landing?

Pilots are trained to handle all sorts of nerve-racking situations, but that doesn't mean that they don't get scared—especially in these real instances, told by the pilots who experienced them, of serious in-flight fear.
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Do pilots know what they're doing?

Answer: Yes, pilots know what every button and switch does. The school to learn the specifics of an airplane is very intense, requiring great concentration for several weeks. Following the ground school, simulator sessions train pilots in the procedures necessary to fly the airplane.
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What is the 1% rule in aviation?

Applying this 1 percent rule would result in an airline pilot being denied a medical certificate if their risk of a medical incapacitation (e.g. heart attack, convulsion, stroke, faint etc) was determined as being greater than 1% during the year.
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What is the 80% rule for aviation?

The 80:20 rule means airlines need to use their take-off slots at least 80% of the time in order to retain them. A "justified non-use provision" will be retained to prevent airlines flying ghost flights.
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What is the 18 inch rule in aviation?

Most maintenance personnel have heard of the 18-inch rule and know what it means. For those who don't, the 18-inch rule means that whenever you do Use the right fluid, in the right maintenance or inspect an aircraft, you should not focus on just that task or specific area alone.
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What is Rule 57 in aviation?

Rule 57 of the Aircraft Rules, 1937 stipulates that every aircraft shall be fitted and equipped with instruments and equipment, including radio apparatus and special equipment, as may be specified according to the use and circumstances under which the flight is to be conducted.
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What is rule 25 in aviation?

(a) in any part of an aircraft or in its vicinity, in which a notice is displayed indicating that smoking is prohibited.
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What is rule 13 in aviation?

—No person shall take, or cause or permit to be taken, at a Government aerodrome or from an aircraft in flight, any photograph except in accordance with and subject to the terms and conditions of a permission in writing granted by the Director-General, a Deputy Director-General, the Director of Regulations and ...
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Can an untrained pilot land a plane?

Many people wonder if they would be able to land a commercial airplane in an emergency situation, especially if the pilot were incapacitated. It's a question that's been debated for years, and while it's technically possible, it's not something that should be attempted without proper training and preparation.
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Who has the most authority on a plane?

The pilot-in-command of an aircraft is directly responsible for and is the final authority as to the operation of that aircraft.
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Can pilots choose when they fly?

Pilots receive their trips for the month through a process called bidding. Bidding is how pilots request a schedule based on their individual needs. This way, a pilot can receive the days off they want, the trips they would like to fly and/or the layovers they prefer.
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