Climb and Descent Rate Calculator
Use our climb and descent rate calculator to ensure you always arrive at your intended altitude on time and at the correct location.
Andrew Wood | 06 November 2023
Image: Daniel Eledut
If your ground speed is unknown then specify your indicated airspeed and wind speed, and the calculator will automatically determine the true airspeed and resulting ground speed.
True airspeed is calculated assuming a standard atmosphere and so may differ slightly from your actual true airspeed.
Descent Calculation
Start Alt: 8000 feet| End Alt: 3000 feet| IAS: 100 knots| Wind: 10 knots Headwind.
- Total descent: 5000 feet @ 500 ft/min.
- Distance covered: 16.4 nm.
- Descent time: 10.0 min.
- Total descent: 5000 feet @ 500 ft/min.
- Distance covered: 16.4 nm.
- Descent time: 10.0 min.
The table below breaks the descent into 18 segments.
| Alt (feet) | IAS (knots) | TAS (knots) | Wind (knots) | Ground Speed (knots) | Delta Distance (nm) | Cum. Distance (nm) | Delta Time (min) | Cum. Time (min) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 8000 | 100 | 113 | -10 | 103 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 |
| 7700 | 100 | 112 | -10 | 102 | 1.03 | 1.03 | 0.6 | 0.6 |
| 7400 | 100 | 112 | -10 | 102 | 1.02 | 2.05 | 0.6 | 1.2 |
| 7100 | 100 | 111 | -10 | 101 | 1.02 | 3.06 | 0.6 | 1.8 |
| 6800 | 100 | 111 | -10 | 101 | 1.01 | 4.07 | 0.6 | 2.4 |
| 6500 | 100 | 110 | -10 | 100 | 1.01 | 5.08 | 0.6 | 3.0 |
| 6200 | 100 | 110 | -10 | 100 | 1.0 | 6.08 | 0.6 | 3.6 |
| 5900 | 100 | 109 | -10 | 99 | 1.0 | 7.07 | 0.6 | 4.2 |
| 5600 | 100 | 109 | -10 | 99 | 0.99 | 8.06 | 0.6 | 4.8 |
| 5300 | 100 | 108 | -10 | 98 | 0.99 | 9.05 | 0.6 | 5.4 |
| 5000 | 100 | 108 | -10 | 98 | 0.98 | 10.03 | 0.6 | 6.0 |
| 4700 | 100 | 107 | -10 | 97 | 0.98 | 11.01 | 0.6 | 6.6 |
| 4400 | 100 | 107 | -10 | 97 | 0.97 | 11.98 | 0.6 | 7.2 |
| 4100 | 100 | 106 | -10 | 96 | 0.97 | 12.94 | 0.6 | 7.8 |
| 3800 | 100 | 106 | -10 | 96 | 0.96 | 13.91 | 0.6 | 8.4 |
| 3500 | 100 | 105 | -10 | 95 | 0.96 | 14.86 | 0.6 | 9.0 |
| 3200 | 100 | 105 | -10 | 95 | 0.95 | 15.81 | 0.6 | 9.6 |
| 3000 | 100 | 105 | -10 | 95 | 0.63 | 16.45 | 0.4 | 10.0 |
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