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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 · 12 stages, 10 scored
Events
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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 1,524 m of the approach.
Plan view — the first 1,524 m of the 1,582 m runway, to the same scale as the side view.
The 400 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 27 at LPPI Pico Airport, where the Airbus A320 took off after covering 933 meters, which is 59% of the runway's length. The aircraft lifted off at a speed of 162 knots. At the time of departure, the local weather conditions were characterized by a temperature of 18 degrees Celsius, with a wind speed of 6 knots coming from a direction of 292 degrees. This resulted in a crosswind of 3 knots and a headwind of 5 knots.
As the aircraft climbed to a higher altitude, it began its enroute climb overhead Bandeiras in the Azores, Portugal. The climb started at an altitude of 1,124 feet above sea level and reached 759 feet above sea level, resulting in an increase of 365 feet in just 3 minutes. During this climb, the aircraft covered a distance of 3 nautical miles.
The final approach to runway 27 at LPPI Pico Airport was made from the east, with the aircraft heading in a direction of 263.0 degrees at an altitude of 638 feet above ground level and a distance of 2 nautical miles from the runway. The landing was executed on runway 27, which has a length of 1,582 meters. The threshold height was good, and the threshold speed was slightly above the target speed of 121 knots.
The touchdown point was 108 meters beyond the touchdown zone, and the touchdown speed was 111 knots, which was considered good. However, the touchdown rate was fair at -255 feet per minute. The runway touchdown position was slightly misaligned from the centerline by 3.9 meters. At the time of landing, the local weather conditions were characterized by a temperature of 16 degrees Celsius, with a wind speed of 5 knots coming from a direction of 295 degrees. This resulted in a crosswind of 3 knots and a headwind of 4 knots.
The total landing distance was 1,147 meters, which is 72% of the runway's length. The runway rollout alignment was very good. The total flight distance was 6 nautical miles, and the flight duration was 7 minutes. The aircraft used a total of 6,816 kilograms of fuel during the flight.
The Airbus A320 successfully landed at LPPI Pico Airport, achieving a high score of 98.1%. The aircraft approached the runway from the east, heading 263.0° at 2 nautical miles and 638 feet above ground level (agl). The final approach was executed with precision, and the aircraft landed safely on runway 27, which has a length of 1,582 meters.
The threshold height was good, indicating that the aircraft was at the correct altitude as it approached the runway. However, the threshold speed was slightly above the target speed of 121 knots, which may have been due to various factors such as wind resistance or the aircraft's weight. Despite this, the touchdown speed of 111 knots was within the acceptable range, and the touchdown rate of -255 feet per minute (fpm) was fair.
The touchdown point was 108 meters beyond the touchdown zone, which is a relatively minor deviation. The runway touchdown position was also slightly misaligned by 3.9 meters from the centerline, but this did not appear to have any significant impact on the landing.
The local weather conditions were favorable, with a temperature of 16°C and a gentle wind of 5 knots at 295°. The crosswind was minimal at 3 knots, and the headwind was 4 knots, which helped to stabilize the aircraft during the landing.
The total landing distance was 1,147 meters, which is 72% of the runway length. This is a relatively short landing distance, indicating that the aircraft was able to touch down and come to a stop quickly. The runway rollout alignment was very good, suggesting that the aircraft's brakes were applied smoothly and effectively.
Overall, the landing was successful, and the aircraft was able to come to a stop safely and efficiently. The minor deviations from the target speeds and touchdown point were not significant enough to impact the overall score, and the favorable weather conditions contributed to a smooth and controlled landing.
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