Where did I go Wrong ( ATC Help)

[Tomcat61]

Hi all, I just completed, well almost completed my first VFR Flight.

I am using the 747-400 Aircraft, and I set my AP , and flying at 32.000 ft, and speed of 300knts.

Everything was going fine, ATC kept me on track, and at around 100nm from my destination airport, it instructed me to decend to 22.000, still no problem, then everything went wrong, I overshot the airport.

My question is, does ATC tell you what speed you should be at ?

And if not, what should I have done at 100nm to destination....reduce speed .

Can someone give me some instructions on what I should do from say about 100nm to destination

Thanks again...Tomcat61

[Andrew Parkinson]

I've done this before in VFR mode. It's very easy to overshoot the airport. The only suggestion I have is setting this flight to IFR-you won't overshoot the airport because ATC will tell you if you're not descending fast enough; it won't tell you to slow your airspeed. When I descend, I do slow my airspeed as do real airlines when they descend; one will feel the aircraft slowing. I have found that in VFR, at higher altitudes, and depending on the airport's elavation, I start my descent about 120-130 nm out. I also open my GPS just to make sure I don't overshoot the airport. Not sure if I helped with your question, but I hope I did a little.

[BAW19]

Set your NAV1 to a nearby VOR and monitor your ground speed on the gauge. Judge your descent on ground speed not airspeed - at that altitude they differ wildly.
I personally tend to set my Autothrottle to 320kias for the main descent, then 250kias below 10000ft, 220kias for the last 20nm or so and then down past each flap marker for the final approach.
Not a pilot rule, just something I do.
Ian