Definition
A descent flown by holding a chosen airspeed constant while allowing power and pitch to determine the rate of descent. The pilot reduces power, lowers the nose to maintain the target airspeed, and accepts whatever vertical speed results from that combination.
Plain English
A descent where you keep the airplane at one set speed the whole way down. You pick the speed, then adjust the nose so the speed stays the same. The rate at which you lose altitude is whatever it ends up being.
Context Anchor
Seen in instrument flying when practicing straight descents, especially while using the flight instruments to hold a chosen airspeed during altitude changes.
Why Pilots Care
Maintains the aircraft within its safe operating speed range and supports precise flight-path control during descent.
Intuition Check
Do not confuse constant airspeed with constant descent rate. In a constant airspeed descent, the speed through the air stays the same; the feet-per-minute descent rate may change.
Example Sentence 1
ATC cleared us to descend from 8,000 to 5,000 feet, and I flew a constant airspeed descent at 120 knots by reducing power and trimming for the speed.
Example Sentence 2
During the practice descent the student held a constant airspeed descent at best glide speed to simulate an engine failure.