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MY FS FLIGHTS
Flight Score
Avoid steep turns at low altitude
Below a thousand feet the aeroplane is slow, heavy and close to the ground. A steep turn loses lift, raises the stall speed and flattens the climb just when the gradient matters most. A normal turn on course is a rate one — fifteen degrees or so, twenty-five at the outside, this penalty is to acknowledge when a turn has stopped being a turn and become a manoeuvre.
Read more in Improve Your Take-OffsStart to finish · 15 stages, 14 scored
Events
Events
Events
Events
Two stabilised approach gates, each with six checks at 1,000 ft and 500 ft above the runway.
The approach, gate by gate
Side view — the last 1,524 m of the approach.
Plan view — the first 1,524 m of the 2,737 m runway, to the same scale as the side view.
The 434 m touchdown sits inside the full-score zone. The arrival was smooth.
The rest of the report
The flight began with a departure roll from runway 30 at EGPK Glasgow Prestwick Airport, where the PA38 Tomahawk aircraft took off with a takeoff distance of 282 meters, which is 10% of the runway length. The liftoff speed was 66 knots, and the local weather conditions at the time were characterized by a temperature of 16 degrees Celsius and a wind speed of 2 knots from a direction of 270 degrees. This resulted in a crosswind of 1 knot and a headwind of 2 knots.
As the aircraft climbed, it started its enroute climb overhead Monkton, South Ayrshire, Scotland, at an altitude of 804 feet above sea level. The climb was steep, with an increase of 959 feet in just 2 minutes, covering a distance of 2 nautical miles. The aircraft then leveled off and entered a cruise phase, first at 2 miles south of Troon, where it remained for 2 minutes, covering another 2 nautical miles. The aircraft then began its descent, starting 3 miles southwest of Troon, and descended from 1,928 feet to 1,478 feet in 2 minutes, covering a distance of 2 nautical miles.
The aircraft then leveled off again, this time at 5 miles west of Troon, and remained in this cruise phase for 3 minutes, covering a distance of 4 nautical miles. The final approach to runway 12 at EGPK Glasgow Prestwick Airport was made from the northwest, with the aircraft heading 126.0 degrees at a distance of 4 nautical miles and an altitude of 1,300 feet above ground level.
The landing was successful, with the aircraft touching down on the runway at a distance of 431 meters. The touchdown speed was 43 knots, which was good, and the touchdown rate was excellent at -62 feet per minute. The runway touchdown alignment was also very good. The local weather conditions at the time of landing were characterized by a temperature of 15 degrees Celsius and a wind speed of 2 knots from a direction of 270 degrees, resulting in a crosswind of 1 knot and a tailwind of 2 knots.
The total flight distance was 16 nautical miles, and the flight duration was 12 minutes. The aircraft used a total of -40 kilograms of fuel during the flight.
The PA38 Tomahawk aircraft successfully landed at EGPK Glasgow Prestwick Airport, achieving a near-perfect score of 99.9%. The final approach was conducted from the north-west, aligning with the runway 12 threshold at a heading of 126.0°, approximately 4 nautical miles away and at an altitude of 1,300 feet above ground level.
Upon landing, the aircraft demonstrated excellent control and precision, touching down on the runway with a distance of 431 meters. This is a good indication of the pilot's skill and ability to manage the aircraft's descent and speed. The touchdown speed of 43 knots was also within acceptable limits, further emphasizing the pilot's proficiency.
One notable aspect of the landing was the threshold speed, which was well above the target speed at 69 knots. This suggests that the pilot may have been taking a more cautious approach to ensure a safe and controlled landing. However, this did not compromise the overall quality of the landing, as the touchdown distance and speed were both good.
The local weather conditions at the time of the landing were favorable, with a temperature of 15°C and a gentle wind of 2 knots from 270°. The crosswind component was minimal at 1 knot, and the tailwind component was 2 knots, which is relatively insignificant. These conditions likely contributed to the smooth and controlled nature of the landing.
Overall, the PA38 Tomahawk aircraft's landing at EGPK Glasgow Prestwick Airport was a testament to the pilot's skill and experience. The excellent touchdown rate of -62 feet per minute and the very good runway touchdown alignment further demonstrate the pilot's ability to manage the aircraft's descent and control its movements during the landing phase.
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