A method for controlling a rotorcraft , the method comprising: receiving , by a fly-by-wire (FBW) system of the rotorcraft, a pilot input that initiates an automated descend-to-hover flight mode; scheduling , by the FBW system, a descend plane (405, 406; 506; 606), wherein the descend plane comprises an altitude profile that specifies target altitudes at positions (410-450) along a ground track and further comprises a ground speed profile that specifies target ground speeds for the positions along the ground track, wherein the target altitudes decrease according to a constant descent rate such that the target altitude decreases by the same amount between consecutive positions (410-420) along the ground track; autonomously descending and decelerating the rotorcraft according to the descend plane (506; 606) in response to determining that the rotorcraft has entered the automated descend-to-hover flight mode and until the rotorcraft reaches a hover over a ground location (490; 590; 690) or the rotorcraft exits the automated descend-to-hover flight mode, characterised in that : the descend plane (405, 406; 506; 606) is entered or selected by a pilot from a predetermined set of descend plane profiles for bringing the rotorcraft to a hover over the ground location (490; 590; 690) associated with the end of the descend plane, wherein the descend plane determines the ground location; and the target ground speeds decrease according to a constant deceleration rate. receiving , by a fly-by-wire (FBW) system of the rotorcraft, a pilot input that initiates an automated descend-to-hover flight mode; scheduling , by the FBW system, a descend plane (405, 406; 506; 606), wherein the descend plane comprises an altitude profile that specifies target altitudes at positions (410-450) along a ground track and further comprises a ground speed profile that specifies target ground speeds for the positions along the ground track, wherein the target altitudes decrease according to a constant descent rate such that the target altitude decreases by the same amount between consecutive positions (410-420) along the ground track; autonomously descending and decelerating the rotorcraft according to the descend plane (506; 606) in response to determining that the rotorcraft has entered the automated descend-to-hover flight mode and until the rotorcraft reaches a hover over a ground location (490; 590; 690) or the rotorcraft exits the automated descend-to-hover flight mode, characterised in that : the descend plane (405, 406; 506; 606) is entered or selected by a pilot from a predetermined set of descend plane profiles for bringing the rotorcraft to a hover over the ground location (490; 590; 690) associated with the end of the descend plane, wherein the descend plane determines the ground location; and the target ground speeds decrease according to a constant deceleration rate. the descend plane (405, 406; 506; 606) is entered or selected by a pilot from a predetermined set of descend plane profiles for bringing the rotorcraft to a hover over the ground location (490; 590; 690) associated with the end of the descend plane, wherein the descend plane determines the ground location; and the target ground speeds decrease according to a constant deceleration rate. <EOS>