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MY FS FLIGHTS
Flight Score
Keep the approach speed on target
Every knot above Vref is stored kinetic energy, and energy stored at the threshold must be dissipated in ground effect before the aeroplane will stop flying. Because kinetic energy scales with the square of speed, the excess you must dissipate grows fast. At a 45-knot approach, five knots hot is over a tenth more speed and roughly a quarter more energy to get rid of in ground effect. This is why the fix is never in the flare. It was decided three miles earlier, on final, at the airspeed indicator.
Read more in VRef ExplainedStart to finish · 16 stages, 14 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 4,977 ft of the approach.
Plan view — the full 4,977 ft runway, to the same scale as the side view.
The 318 ft touchdown sits inside the full-score zone. The arrival was smooth.
The rest of the report
The F-35C Lightning took off from runway 29R at KTOA Zamperini Field, covering a takeoff distance of 2,021 feet, which is 52% of the runway. The aircraft lifted off at a speed of 198 knots. At the time of departure, the local weather conditions were characterized by a temperature of 68°F and a wind speed of 12 knots from 279°, resulting in a 6-knot crosswind and an 11-knot headwind.
As the aircraft began its enroute climb, it started 1 mile southwest of Torrance, California. The climb from 1,180 feet above sea level to 1,268 feet above sea level was achieved in less than 1 minute, covering a distance of less than 1 nautical mile. This rapid ascent was followed by a brief level cruise phase overhead Inglewood, lasting 2 minutes and covering 8 nautical miles.
The aircraft then initiated a descent from 1,273 feet above sea level to 592 feet above sea level, a decrease of 681 feet, in 2 minutes and covering 7 nautical miles. This descent phase was followed by another climb phase, this time from 779 feet above sea level to 20,007 feet above sea level, an increase of 19,228 feet, in 2 minutes and covering 2 nautical miles. The climb phase started overhead Los Angeles.
The aircraft then began its final descent, starting 1 mile east of Echo Park, California. The descent from 18,772 feet above sea level to 820 feet above sea level, a decrease of 17,952 feet, was achieved in 2 minutes and covered a distance of 10 nautical miles.
The F-35C Lightning then initiated its final approach to runway 21 at KSMO Santa Monica Municipal Airport, approaching from the northeast at a heading of 225.0° and 2 nautical miles from the runway. The aircraft landed on the runway, which is 4,977 feet long, with a threshold height significantly above the target and a threshold speed excessively high at 345 knots.
The touchdown distance was good at 273 feet, and the touchdown speed was 147 knots, which was within acceptable limits. However, the touchdown rate was very heavy at -819 feet per minute. The runway touchdown alignment was very good, and the local weather conditions at the time of landing were characterized by a temperature of 66°F and a wind speed of 9 knots from 244°, resulting in a 3-knot crosswind and a 9-knot headwind.
The total landing distance was 1,772 feet, which is 36% of the runway. The runway rollout alignment was perfect, indicating a smooth and controlled landing. The total flight distance was 32 nautical miles, and the flight used -13 pounds of fuel.
The F-35C Lightning aircraft has successfully landed at KSMO Santa Monica Municipal Airport, but with some notable areas for improvement. The final approach to runway 21 was initiated from the north east, heading 225.0° at 2 nautical miles and 676 feet above ground level (agl). The aircraft's performance during the landing was evaluated, and it scored 72.7%.
One of the key areas of concern was the threshold height, which was significantly above the target height at 80 feet agl. This indicates that the aircraft may have been too high during the approach, potentially leading to a longer landing distance. Additionally, the threshold speed was excessively high at 345 knots, which is above the recommended landing speed for the F-35C. This could have resulted in a longer touchdown distance and potentially compromised the aircraft's stability during the landing.
On a positive note, the touchdown distance was good at 273 feet, and the touchdown speed of 147 knots was within the recommended range. However, the touchdown rate was very heavy at -819 feet per minute (fpm), which is higher than the recommended rate. This could have resulted in a rough ride for the aircraft and potentially caused damage to the landing gear.
The runway touchdown alignment was very good, indicating that the aircraft was properly aligned with the runway during the landing. The local weather conditions were also favorable, with a temperature of 66°F and a headwind of 9 knots at 244°. The crosswind was minimal at 3 knots, which helped to reduce the landing distance.
The total landing distance was 1,772 feet, which is 36% of the runway length. This is a relatively short landing distance, considering the aircraft's size and weight. The runway rollout alignment was perfect, indicating that the aircraft was properly aligned with the runway during the rollout phase.
Overall, while the F-35C Lightning aircraft performed well during the landing, there are areas for improvement, particularly with regards to the threshold height and speed. With some adjustments to the approach and landing technique, the aircraft can achieve a more optimal landing performance.
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