An Excel spreadsheet to calculate the descend rate, time, angle and length when approaching an airport for landing.

When on an instrument landing (ILS/VOR/NDB) to an airport using the official airport approach plates:

Input values from the approach plate:

• Start height (highest point)
• End height (lowest point)
• The distance between these 2 points

And the average speed between these 2 points

The spreadsheet will calculate:

• descend time
• descend rate
• descend angle
• descend length

As an example, a part of the approach plate from the airport KALAELOA - JOHN RODGERS FIELD (PHJR), approach VOR/DME 04R

 

Input values for the green part: highest point: 3000 ft lowest point: 1700 ft distance: 9 nm

Input values for the yellow part: highest point: 1700 ft lowest point = runway elevation : 30 ft distance: 3.5 nm

Link to the Excel spreadsheet DescendRate.xlsx