Chair flying / Emergency Descent

Emergency Descent

Lose altitude as rapidly as safely possible — for a fire, a rapid depressurization, or an urgent need to get down — with a controlled, high-rate turning descent.

Chair fly it ACS IX.A — Emergency Descent

Emergency Descent

Clean configuration flow
Clean configuration flow: electric fuel pump ON · fuel selector proper tank · mixture full rich · flaps 0.
Reduce throttle to idle
Initiate a turning descent at 30–45° of bank, clearing for traffic
The bank increases the descent rate and lets you clear the airspace below as you spiral down.
Maintain 120 kt in training
In training hold 120 kt; an actual emergency may call for accelerating to Vno or Vne as appropriate for the situation.
Notify ATC or traffic as appropriate

ACS tolerances

Airspeed ±10 kt
Altitude (level-off) ±100 ft

Common errors

Exceeding the airspeed limit for the configuration
Not clearing the area below before and during the descent
Overshooting the recovery altitude