PLT133: Normal Climb and Descent Rates
What code PLT133 covers, why the FAA tests it, and how to study Normal Climb and Descent Rates before your checkride.
Recall aircraft performance - normal climb / descent rates
What this means for your checkride
Normal climb and descent rates come from the difference between power available and power required. Best rate of climb gives the most altitude per minute; a normal cruise climb trades some climb rate for better visibility, cooling, and speed. Descent rate is set by power, pitch, and configuration.
Planning altitude changes and meeting crossing restrictions depends on realistic climb and descent rates, so the FAA tests what sets them and how they change with altitude and weight.
Climb rate is not constant. It falls steadily as the airplane climbs and the excess power shrinks, reaching zero at the absolute ceiling.
Where to study it
A code on your test report is an area of deficiency. An authorized instructor must review it with you and endorse that review before you take the practical test, and the examiner may revisit it during the oral. Study it until you can explain it out loud, not just recognize the answer.