Hey all,Been wondering this for years but now that I've been putting the PMDG 736 through its paces, it's REALLY bugging me and I didn't find an answer on the board.I know what climb and descent rates I can get through the FMC and various autopilot modes. But just because the plane CAN do a 5000ft/min descend (or 10,000ft/min for that matter), what rates are usually used in real life?Yes, I know, weather and weight and SID/STARS but what are average realistic climb/descent rates for the 736. Give me ballpark figure.Thanks!Torsten

what rates are usually used in real life?The usual mode for climbing/descending is VNAV and LVL CHG.Thus, the climb/descent rates are not set by the crew but are the result of the climb/descent profile used in relation to GW. Hence they vary, and they can vary significantly.For example, at the beginning of the climb, when below 10000 feet, you can see rates as high as 3500-4000 fpm depending on GW.Near the end of your climb, when higher than FL350 yor V/S will be 1200-1500 fpm and will reduce even further (even below 1000 fpm) as you climb higher, again depending on your GW and climb profile used.Thus, climb rates are not fixed and if you plotted them against altitude for a given GW they would form a curve which rises up sharply and then flattens off.When descending below 10000 feet, where V/S is often used, rates between 1500-1700 fpm are common, so as not to exceed 250 kts with thrust at idle.Thus, as you can see, there are no fixed climb/descent rates that can be quoted and which will be good for all flight regimes.Stamatis