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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 · 20 stages, 18 scored
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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 470 m of the approach.
Plan view — the full 470 m runway, to the same scale as the side view.
The 160 m touchdown sits inside the full-score zone. The arrival was smooth.
The rest of the report
The flight began with the aircraft, a Kodiak 100, taxiing from the parking area to the runway at AYGA Goroka Airport. This process took approximately 8 minutes and covered a distance of less than 1 nautical mile. The aircraft then departed from runway 17L, with a takeoff distance of 219 meters, which accounted for 17% of the runway. The liftoff speed was 62 knots.
As the aircraft climbed out of Goroka, it encountered local weather conditions of 15°C temperature and a wind speed of 1 knot at 27°. The crosswind was negligible, and there was a slight tailwind of 1 knot. The enroute climb started overhead Goroka, where the aircraft ascended from 5,705 feet above sea level to 6,081 feet, an increase of 376 feet in just 1 minute, covering a distance of 2 nautical miles.
The enroute level cruise began 2 miles south of Goroka and lasted for 2 minutes, covering 3 nautical miles. The aircraft then started another climb 5 miles southeast of Goroka, ascending from 5,885 feet to 15,330 feet, an increase of 9,446 feet in 8 minutes, covering a distance of 17 nautical miles. The enroute level cruise resumed 15 miles northwest of Kainantu, lasting for 2 minutes and covering 4 nautical miles.
The aircraft then started another climb 11 miles west of AYGP Gusap Airport, ascending from 15,689 feet to 16,204 feet, an increase of 515 feet in 2 minutes, covering a distance of 9 nautical miles. The enroute level cruise began 2 miles southwest of Gusap Airport, lasting for 2 minutes and covering 20 nautical miles. The aircraft then started its descent 10 miles west of WTT Wantoat Airport, descending from 15,932 feet to 4,831 feet, a decrease of 11,101 feet in 9 minutes, covering a distance of 33 nautical miles.
The final approach to runway 14 at AYYW Yawan Airstrip was made from the northwest, heading 150.0° at 0 nautical miles and 40 feet above ground level. The landing was successful, with a touchdown distance of 158 meters, a touchdown speed of 59 knots, and a smooth touchdown rate of -102 feet per minute. However, the runway touchdown position was misaligned by 9.2 meters from the centerline.
The local weather conditions at the time of landing were the same as during the takeoff, with a temperature of 15°C and a wind speed of 1 knot at 27°. The crosswind was 1 knot, and there was no headwind. The total landing distance was 271 meters, accounting for 58% of the runway. The runway rollout alignment was slightly misaligned by 9.4 meters from the centerline. The total flight distance was 90 nautical miles, taking approximately 27 minutes, and the aircraft used 92 kilograms of fuel.
The aircraft in question, a Kodiak 100, successfully landed at AYYW Yawan Airstrip with a score of 94.6%. The final approach was initiated from the north-west, heading 150.0° at an altitude of 40 feet above ground level (agl) and 0 nautical miles from the runway. The pilot successfully guided the aircraft onto runway 14, which has a length of 470 meters.
Upon touchdown, the aircraft's threshold speed was slightly below the target speed of 61 knots, registering at 59 knots. However, the touchdown distance of 158 meters was deemed good, indicating a smooth and controlled descent. The touchdown speed of 59 knots was also within acceptable limits, and the touchdown rate of -102 feet per minute (fpm) was smooth, suggesting a gentle and stable landing.
Despite the successful landing, there were some minor issues with the aircraft's alignment. The runway touchdown position was misaligned by 9.2 meters from the centerline, and the runway rollout alignment was slightly misaligned by 9.4 meters from the centerline. However, these deviations were relatively minor and did not significantly impact the overall landing performance.
The local weather conditions at the time of the landing were favorable, with a temperature of 15°C and a wind speed of 1 knot from a direction of 27°. This resulted in a negligible crosswind component of 1 knot and a headwind of 0 knots. Overall, the landing was considered successful, with the aircraft coming to a stop within 58% of the runway length, covering a total distance of 271 meters.
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