Confusion about when it's my navigation, and when it's ATC

Pixel Dent writes:


Well, once again I don't know much about airliners, but in smaller
planes at least you don't generally increase airspeed to descend you
reduce power.

Not me. The descent is where I get back the speed I invested in the
climb. If turbulence allows I set up a 500 fpm descent, without
touching the power which is almost always max for cruise. I generally
then get 190 MPH indicated in the descent, which is the bottom of the
yellow arc.