What is the minimum descent rate criterion for settling with power?

• A. At least 600 FPM
• B. At least 100 FPM
• C. At least 300 FPM
• D. At least 200 FPM

Answer: (C)

Settling with power is the situation where, with power on and at a low forward airspeed, the rotor isn’t able to produce enough thrust to support the helicopter, causing a dangerous sink. The standard threshold used to identify this condition is a descent rate of 300 feet per minute or more. When you’re in a power-on descent and your vertical speed reaches about 300 fpm or higher, it signals that the rotor might be in a settling with power scenario and requires immediate corrective action. This threshold is chosen because it represents a practical, noticeable sink rate at which recovery procedures—lowering collective to restore rotor RPM and using forward cyclic to gain airspeed—become necessary to arrest the descent. Descent rates like 100 or 200 fpm are typically not high enough to indicate settling with power, while 600 fpm would indicate a much more severe sink that isn’t used as the criterion.