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MY FS FLIGHTS
Flight Score
Know your rotation speed
A typical trainer rotates in the mid-50s of knots - a 172 at around 55 KIAS, climbing out at a Vy in the low 70s, though check your own POH rather than memorising Cessna's numbers - and the transferable rule is that Vr sits just above the stall speed in takeoff configuration. Rotate early because "it felt ready" and the aircraft lifts off inside ground effect, where induced drag is reduced, then climbs out of it into more drag. On a marginal-performance day the result is an aircraft that lifts off and then refuses to climb, sagging back towards the runway.
Read more in Improve Your Take-OffsStart to finish · 13 stages, 11 scored
Events
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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.
Side view — the last 377 m of the approach.
Plan view — the full 377 m runway, to the same scale as the side view.
The 234 m touchdown sits inside the full-score zone. The arrival was smooth.
The rest of the report
The XCub aircraft departed from runway 02 at EDWI JadeWeser Airport, a small airport located in Wilhelmshaven, Lower Saxony, Germany. The takeoff distance was 313 meters, which is approximately 32% of the runway length. The aircraft lifted off at a speed of 90 knots, and the local weather conditions at the time of departure were characterized by a temperature of 5 degrees Celsius, with a wind speed of 18 knots blowing from a direction of 324 degrees. This resulted in a crosswind of 15 knots and a headwind of 10 knots.
As the aircraft climbed away from the airport, it began its enroute climb, which started overhead the airport. The aircraft climbed from an altitude of 1,029 feet above sea level to 1,292 feet above sea level, an increase of 263 feet in just 1 minute, while covering a distance of 1 nautical mile. This rapid climb was followed by a level cruise, which lasted for 21 minutes and covered a distance of 36 nautical miles. The aircraft cruised 1 mile west of Wilhelmshaven, taking advantage of the favorable wind conditions.
As the aircraft approached its destination, it began its enroute descent, which started 3 miles south of Helgoland, a small island located in the North Sea, off the coast of Schleswig-Holstein, Germany. The aircraft descended from an altitude of 1,483 feet above sea level to 128 feet above sea level, a decrease of 1,355 feet in just 3 minutes, while covering a distance of 3 nautical miles. This steep descent was followed by a final approach to runway 03 at EDXH Helgoland-Düne Airport, which is located on the island of Helgoland.
The final approach was made from the south, heading in a direction of 26.0 degrees, and the aircraft was at an altitude of 0 nautical miles and 114 feet above ground level. The local weather conditions at the time of landing were characterized by a temperature of 3 degrees Celsius, with a wind speed of 18 knots blowing from a direction of 6 degrees. This resulted in a crosswind of 6 knots and a headwind of 17 knots.
The aircraft landed on runway 03 at EDXH Helgoland-Düne Airport, which has a length of 377 meters. The threshold height was good, and the threshold speed was also good at 56 knots. However, the touchdown point was very long, using more than 50% of the available runway. The touchdown speed was good at 45 knots, and the touchdown rate was also good at -173 feet per minute. The runway touchdown alignment was very good, indicating that the aircraft was well-aligned with the runway during landing.
The total landing distance was 303 meters, which is approximately 80% of the runway length. The runway rollout alignment was perfect, indicating that the aircraft was well-controlled during the rollout phase. The total flight distance was 41 nautical miles, and the flight duration was 26 minutes. The aircraft used a total of 12 kilograms of fuel during the flight.
The XCub aircraft successfully landed at EDXH Helgoland-Düne Airport, achieving a score of 85.3%. The final approach was conducted from the south, heading 26.0° at an altitude of 114 feet above ground level (agl) and 0 nautical miles from the runway. The aircraft touched down on runway 03, which has a length of 377 meters.
The threshold height was satisfactory, and the threshold speed was maintained at 56 knots, indicating a well-executed approach. However, the touchdown point was located very far down the runway, utilizing more than 50% of the available length. This suggests that the aircraft may have been slightly long on the approach, but the touchdown speed of 45 knots was still within acceptable limits.
The touchdown rate of -173 feet per minute (fpm) was also satisfactory, indicating a controlled descent. The runway touchdown alignment was very good, demonstrating precise control and coordination during the final stages of the approach.
The local weather conditions at the time of landing were characterized by a temperature of 3°C and wind speeds of 18 knots from a direction of 6°. The crosswind component was minimal at 6 knots, while the headwind component was 17 knots. These conditions presented a moderate challenge for the pilot, but the aircraft's performance was satisfactory.
The total landing distance of 303 meters was 80% of the available runway length, which is a relatively long distance. Nevertheless, the runway rollout alignment was perfect, indicating that the pilot maintained control and stability during the rollout phase. Overall, the landing was satisfactory, with some areas for improvement, particularly in terms of approach length and touchdown point.
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