# 9.7 Descent Performance & Energy Management

### Descent Characteristics

- Typically flown at idle thrust
- Vertical path controlled manually (VA SOP)
- Speed managed automatically

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</div>### Energy State Awareness

Pilots must continuously assess:

- Altitude vs distance
- Speed vs configuration

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</div>### High Energy Situation

- Too fast / too high

Correction methods:

- Increase descent rate
- Use speed brakes

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</div>### Low Energy Situation

- Too slow / too low

Correction methods:

- Reduce descent rate
- Increase thrust

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</div>### Core Rule

**“Energy must be managed early – not corrected late.”**