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MY FS FLIGHTS
Flight Score
Arrival
Apply steady, continuous back pressure through the flare to arrest the sink smoothly and hold the normal profile, rather than letting it drift.
What happened: The flare did not hold its target profile, with the sink most arrested at 0.2 ft, and this flight then touched down at 209 fpm of sink - a firm arrival. An unsettled flare profile like this usually carries through to a firmer touchdown.
Watch for: Vertical speed indicator: a smooth, steadily decreasing sink rate through the flare to touchdown.
Ground effect becomes significant below about one wingspan of height. A Cessna 172, with a 36 ft span, enters ground effect at flare height - the float it feels in the hold-off is ground effect arriving on cue. An A320, with a span around 117 ft, has been in ground effect since before the threshold and there is no sudden cushion to feel, only a gradual reduction in induced drag that lengthens any float you allow.
Read more in Flare TimingStart 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.
Two stabilised approach gates, each with seven checks, where the approach path is 1,000 ft and 500 ft above the runway.
The approach, gate by gate
Side view — the last 5,680 ft of the approach.
Plan view — the first 5,680 ft of the 8,899 ft runway, to the same scale as the side view.
The 1,355 ft touchdown sits inside the full-score zone. The arrival was smooth.
The rest of the report
The flight began with the aircraft taxiing from the parking to the runway at Puerto Vallarta International Airport, taking 4 minutes and covering a distance of 1 nautical mile. Departure roll took place on runway 22, with the aircraft taking off after covering 6,745 feet, which was 66% of the runway length. The liftoff speed was 162 knots.
As the aircraft took off, it encountered local weather conditions of 86°F temperature and a 5-knot headwind at 240°. The crosswind was minimal at 1 knot. The enroute climb started shortly after departure, 1 mile southwest of the airport, and the aircraft climbed from 1,019 feet above sea level to 35,959 feet, an increase of 34,940 feet, in 24 minutes and covering 142 nautical miles.
The enroute level cruise began 38 miles southwest of Mazatlan, Mexico, and lasted for 84 minutes, covering 608 nautical miles. The aircraft then started another climb 14 miles southwest of Ejido Juan Alvarez Airport, increasing its altitude from 35,971 feet to 37,977 feet in just 3 minutes and covering 24 nautical miles. The enroute level cruise resumed 2 miles northwest of Puerto Peñasco Airport, lasting for 24 minutes and covering 157 nautical miles.
As the aircraft approached its destination, it began its descent 4 miles northeast of Ocotillo, California, and descended from 37,956 feet to 1,395 feet in 30 minutes and covering 137 nautical miles. The final approach to runway 24R at Los Angeles International Airport was made from the east, heading 263.0° at 4 nautical miles and 1,253 feet above ground level.
The landing took place on runway 24R, which was 8,899 feet long. The threshold height was good, and the threshold speed was slightly above the target at 143 knots. The touchdown distance was good at 1,357 feet, but the touchdown speed was a little fast at 138 knots. The touchdown rate was firm at -313 feet per minute, and the runway touchdown alignment was perfect.
The local weather conditions at the time of landing were 65°F temperature and a 6-knot headwind at 259°. The crosswind was minimal at 0 knots. The total landing distance was 5,416 feet, which was 61% of the runway length. The runway rollout alignment was also perfect. After landing, the aircraft taxiied to the parking, taking 9 minutes and covering 1 nautical mile.
The total flight distance was 1,077 nautical miles, and the flight duration was 180 minutes. The aircraft used 16,413 pounds of fuel during the flight.
The Airbus A321 successfully landed on runway 24R at KLAX Los Angeles International Airport, achieving a high score of 98.3%. The aircraft approached the runway from the east, heading 263.0° at a distance of 4 nautical miles and an altitude of 1,253 feet above ground level (agl). The pilot maintained a steady course, ensuring a precise final approach to the runway.
Upon touchdown, the aircraft landed on the runway with a good threshold height, indicating a smooth and controlled descent. However, the threshold speed was slightly above the target speed of 142 kt, registering at 143 kt. This minor deviation from the target speed did not significantly impact the overall landing performance.
The touchdown distance of 1,357 feet was within acceptable limits, demonstrating the pilot's ability to manage the aircraft's descent and speed. Nevertheless, the touchdown speed of 138 kt was a little fast, which may have contributed to a slightly firmer touchdown rate of -313 feet per minute (fpm). Despite this, the runway touchdown alignment was perfect, indicating that the aircraft was well-aligned with the runway centerline.
The local weather conditions at the time of landing were favorable, with a temperature of 65°F and a gentle headwind of 6 kt from 259°. The crosswind component was negligible, with a speed of 0 kt. These conditions likely contributed to the smooth and controlled landing.
The total landing distance of 5,416 feet was 61% of the runway length, which is a reasonable distance considering the aircraft's size and weight. The runway rollout alignment was also perfect, indicating that the pilot maintained control of the aircraft during the rollout phase.
Overall, the Airbus A321 landed safely and efficiently on runway 24R at KLAX Los Angeles International Airport, with a high score of 98.3%. The pilot's skills and experience were evident in the smooth and controlled descent, precise touchdown, and perfect runway alignment.
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