What term do we use for when an aircraft is decreasing altitude?
What term do we use for when an aircraft is decreasing altitude? Descent – The act of decreasing aircraft altitude, typically to a designated level.
Why would a plane fly lower?
Smaller aircraft, whether commercially operated or not, will fly at lower altitudes, often below 15,000 feet. The reason for this is usually due to the type of engine they have which makes them unable to reach the same heights.
What is it called when a plane loses altitude?
In aeronautics, a descent is any time period during air travel where an aircraft decreases altitude, and is the opposite of an ascent or climb.
What happens if a plane lowers its gear at cruising altitude?
At the higher speeds flown at cruising altitude, having the gear down would potentially subject it to extreme stress, not to mention affecting the aircraft's aerodynamic properties. Similarly, flaps are only deployed at lower altitudes and speeds.
How do pilots know when to descend?
In modern aircraft with modern avionics, the descent profile is automatically calculated by the computers. When prevailing winds are entered the flight management system can accurately determine the top of descent and the rate of descent that is required.
What is it called when a plane is going down?
Aviation Enthusiast Author has 100 answers and 192.9K answer views 5y. If the aircraft is going down towards a runway at a controlled speed with proper airflow, then it is considered landing. If it is going down a runway as it is stalling, then it is considered falling/crashing.