Events
Events
Events
MY FS FLIGHTS
Flight Score
Fixing the bounce
Fast at the threshold, normal flare, and the runway seems to refuse the aircraft. The instinctive fix - pushing it on - causes the next one. A fast aircraft forced onto the runway touches nosewheel-first or nearly so. The tell is a touchdown that feels soft followed by a bounce that steepens. Pilots fix the bounce recovery; the cause was the 10 knots at the threshold.
Read more in VRef ExplainedStart to finish · 13 stages, 12 scored
Events
Events
Events
The threshold, the flare and the hold-off. The approach that led to it is the stabilisation gates below.
One stabilised approach gate: five checks where the approach path is 500 ft above the runway. The 1,000 ft gate was not assessed, because the approach did not join final that far out.
The approach, gate by gate
Side view — the last 1,524 m of the approach.
Plan view — the full 1,524 m runway, to the same scale as the side view.
The 409 m touchdown sits inside the full-score zone. The arrival was smooth.
The rest of the report
The aircraft flown was an AT802 Firefighting aircraft, which began its flight by taxiing from the parking area to the runway at Millau-Larzac Airfield. This process took roughly 1 minute and covered a distance of less than 1 nautical mile. The aircraft then began its departure roll from runway 32 and lifted off the ground with a takeoff distance of 377 meters, which accounted for 46% of the available runway. The liftoff speed was 82 knots.
During the initial stages of the flight, the aircraft encountered a relatively stable weather condition, with a temperature of 10°C and a gentle headwind of 2 knots. As the aircraft climbed to a higher altitude, it passed overhead La Cavalerie, located in the Occitanie region of France, and continued its ascent, eventually reaching a local ceiling. The enroute climb from 2,953 feet above sea level to 3,466 feet above sea level resulted in an increase of 513 feet in just 1 minute, covering a distance of approximately 2 nautical miles.
After reaching the desired altitude, the aircraft leveled off into a cruise phase, lasting for 5 minutes and covering a distance of 11 nautical miles, as it flew approximately 1 mile to the southwest of Millau-Larzac Airfield. However, the aircraft's descent started 3 miles northwest of Les Plans, where it descended from 3,156 feet to 2,548 feet in 2 minutes, covering a distance of 3 nautical miles. The next level cruise phase began 1 mile to the southwest of Les Plans and lasted for 2 minutes, covering a distance of 3 nautical miles.
The aircraft's descent from 2,618 feet above sea level to 534 feet above sea level over 2 miles to the southwest of Lodeve marked the last major descent phase. This descent from 2,084 feet in 2 minutes covered a distance of 3 nautical miles.
As the aircraft approached the final approach to landing, it flew over Octon, located in the Occitanie region of France, and leveled off at 85 feet above ground level from 1 nautical mile until 1 nautical mile prior to touchdown. The final descent took just 8 seconds, from 46 feet to ground level, with a touchdown speed of 84 knots.
Touchdown occurred 1 mile to the east of Octon, with an impressive touchdown rate of -157 feet per minute and a distance of 409 meters, which demonstrated the pilot's exceptional skill. The local weather during landing conditions consisted of a slightly higher temperature of 15°C and a gentle tailwind of 2 knots. After the flight, the total distance covered was 23 nautical miles, using a fuel consumption of 32 kilograms and taking approximately 13 minutes.
The AT802 Firefighting aircraft has successfully completed a landing, demonstrating its operational capabilities. The aircraft navigated to a safe final approach point, a ground 1 mile east of Octon in Occitanie, France, from a distance of 1 nautical mile away at an altitude of 85 feet above ground level (ft agl). As it approached the intended touchdown zone, the AT802 Firefighting aircraft initiated its descent from an altitude of 46 ft agl to the ground surface.
The descent phase was executed efficiently, reducing the aircraft's altitude by 46 ft within a timeframe of 8 seconds. This demonstrates the aircraft's ability to maintain control and stability during the landing sequence. The aircraft made a successful touchdown 1 mile east of Octon, France, at a speed of 84 knots (kt). The touchdown speed and rate were evaluated as satisfactory, with a rate of -157 feet per minute (fpm) and a distance of 409 meters, respectively.
The operational conditions during the landing were favorable, with a local temperature of 15 °C and a wind speed of 3 kt at a direction of 254°. This resulted in a negligible crosswind impact of 1 kt and a positive tailwind effect of 2 kt, positively affecting the overall stability and control of the aircraft during the landing. Overall, the AT802 Firefighting aircraft has demonstrated its ability to execute a controlled and safe landing, showcasing its reliability and operational performance.
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