Boldmethod’s October 24, 2026 pilot guide addresses a practical instrument-flying question: when should a pilot treat a high descent rate on final as a warning? Its central reference is Chapter 4 of the FAA Instrument Procedures Handbook, which says operational experience and research have shown that a rate greater than approximately 1,000 feet per minute is unacceptable during the final stages of an approach, below 1,000 feet above ground level. The rationale cited is a human perceptual limitation that does not depend on whether the aircraft is an airplane or helicopter.
The figure needs…