I fly from Portland, Or to Houston via MSP every few weeks. I know when we are about 60-65 minutes away from landing when the engines are cut back and we start slowly descending. Descents used to start about 30 minutes out.
Interesting. I don’t fly any particular routes regularly though I’ve logged somewhere near 70k miles this year already, but I have not noted “hour-out” descents.
That’s how an aircraft descends when in level flight. Reduce airspeed reduces lift which allows the aircraft to descend. Increase airspeed increases lift which causes an aircraft to cliimb.