British Sign Language Glossaries of Curriculum Terms

BSL Environmental Science Glossary - Constant descent angle definition

Definition: When aircraft land they descend at a constant angle of around 3° to the ground. The angle that the plane comes down at doesn't change and it can't be too steep. When the plane is ready to land the engine speed/thrust is reduced - this conserves fuel and reduces the amount of engine noise. A steep angle of descent uses much more energy and generates more noise pollution which isn't good for wildlife and the environment.