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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
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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 786 m of the approach.
Plan view — the full 786 m runway, to the same scale as the side view.
The 223 m touchdown sits inside the full-score zone. The arrival was smooth.
The rest of the report
The flight began with a taxiing period from the parking area to the runway, which took approximately 2 minutes and covered a distance of less than 1 nautical mile. The aircraft, a Cessna C172, then departed from runway 08 at EDXC Schleswig-Kropp Airfield. The takeoff distance was 686 meters, which accounted for 87% of the runway length. The liftoff speed was 88 knots, and the local weather conditions at the time of takeoff were characterized by a temperature of 16°C, a wind speed of 6 knots at 62°, with a crosswind of 3 knots and a headwind of 6 knots.
As the aircraft climbed away from the airfield, it began its enroute climb 1 mile west of Brekendorf, a town in Schleswig-Holstein, Germany. The climb started from an altitude of 563 feet above sea level and reached 596 feet above sea level, an increase of 33 feet, in less than 1 minute and covered a distance of less than 1 nautical mile. The enroute level cruise then began overhead Brekendorf and lasted for 21 minutes, during which the aircraft covered a distance of 3 nautical miles.
The final approach to runway 08 at EDXC Schleswig-Kropp Airfield was made from the west, with the aircraft heading 89.0° at an altitude of 368 feet above ground level and a distance of 0 nautical miles from the runway threshold. The landing was made on runway 08, which had a length of 786 meters. The threshold height was good, and the threshold speed was slightly above the target speed of 64 knots. The touchdown distance was good at 222 meters, and the touchdown speed was 50 knots, which was also good. However, the touchdown rate was fair at -276 feet per minute.
The runway touchdown position was misaligned by 11.5 meters from the centreline, and the runway rollout alignment was also slightly misaligned by 11.5 meters from the centreline. The local weather conditions at the time of landing were characterized by a temperature of 15°C, a wind speed of 6 knots at 61°, with a crosswind of 3 knots and a headwind of 5 knots. The total landing distance was 390 meters, which accounted for 50% of the runway length.
The total flight distance was 6 nautical miles, and the flight duration was 27 minutes. The aircraft used 9 kilograms of fuel during the flight. Overall, the flight was characterized by a smooth takeoff, a steady climb, and a good landing, although there were some minor issues with the alignment of the runway touchdown position and the runway rollout alignment.
The Cessna C172 aircraft successfully landed at EDXC Schleswig-Kropp Airfield, achieving an overall score of 88.5%. The final approach to runway 08 was initiated from the west, with a heading of 89.0° at an altitude of 368 feet above ground level (agl) and a distance of 0 nautical miles from the runway.
Upon landing, the aircraft touched down on the runway with a speed of 64 knots, which was slightly above the target threshold speed. However, the touchdown distance of 222 meters was considered good, indicating a smooth and controlled descent. The touchdown speed of 50 knots was also within acceptable limits, demonstrating the pilot's ability to manage the aircraft's speed during the landing phase.
Despite the good touchdown speed and distance, the touchdown rate of -276 feet per minute (fpm) was only fair. This suggests that the pilot may have been able to improve the landing by making adjustments to the descent rate or flare to achieve a more controlled touchdown.
One notable issue during the landing was the misalignment of the runway touchdown position, which was off-centerline by 11.5 meters. This was also observed during the runway rollout alignment, where the aircraft remained slightly misaligned from the centerline. While this may not have had a significant impact on the safety of the landing, it does indicate that the pilot may need to work on improving their alignment and control during the landing phase.
The local weather conditions at the time of the landing were relatively calm, with a temperature of 15°C and winds of 6 knots at 61°. The crosswind component was minimal at 3 knots, while the headwind component was 5 knots. These conditions were likely favorable for the landing, allowing the pilot to maintain control of the aircraft during the approach and landing phases.
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