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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 · 16 stages, 15 scored
Events
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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 for a circuit: five checks where the approach path is 500 ft above the runway. The 1,000 ft gate is an instrument-approach check and does not apply.
Side view — the last 1,524 m of the approach.
Plan view — the first 1,524 m of the 2,242 m runway, to the same scale as the side view.
The 256 m touchdown sits inside the full-score zone. The arrival was smooth.
The rest of the report
The flight took place in a Pipistrel 121SW aircraft, with a taxiing time of just one minute from the parking area to the runway. The aircraft covered less than one nautical mile during this time. Departure was from runway 25 at TAPA V C Bird International Airport, with a takeoff distance of 266 meters, which accounted for just 12% of the runway's length. The liftoff speed was 62 knots.
The local weather conditions at the time of the flight were characterized by a temperature of 15 degrees Celsius and a wind speed of 1 knot from a direction of 270 degrees. This resulted in a negligible crosswind and headwind, both of 1 knot. The aircraft entered the left-hand pattern from runway 25, covering a distance of less than one nautical mile in just 40 seconds.
As the aircraft continued through the pattern, it encountered a crosswind from runway 25, which it navigated in 22 seconds. The pattern downwind turn was completed over a distance of one nautical mile, with an angle to the runway of 79.6 degrees. The downwind leg itself covered a distance of two nautical miles in 85 seconds.
The pattern base leg turn was completed over a distance of one nautical mile, with an angle to the runway of 28.6 degrees. The base leg itself covered a distance of less than one nautical mile in 35 seconds. The final turn was completed in just four seconds, bringing the aircraft into position for its final approach.
The final approach to runway 25 was made from the north-east, with a heading of 240 degrees and an altitude of 542 feet above ground level. The aircraft was one nautical mile from the runway threshold at this point. The landing on runway 25 was successful, with a touchdown distance of 254 meters. However, the touchdown speed was excessively fast at 47 knots, and the threshold speed was also higher than recommended at 55 knots.
The local weather conditions remained the same during the landing, with a temperature of 15 degrees Celsius and a wind speed of 1 knot from a direction of 270 degrees. The runway touchdown alignment was very good, and the touchdown rate was good at -165 feet per minute. The total flight distance was seven nautical miles, taking eight minutes to complete, and the aircraft used just one kilogram of fuel during the flight.
The aircraft in question, a Pipistrel 121SW, successfully landed at TAPA V C Bird International Airport on runway 25. The final approach was initiated from the north east, heading 240.0° at a distance of 1 nautical mile and an altitude of 542 feet above ground level (agl). The aircraft's performance during the landing was evaluated, and it was noted that the touchdown distance was good, measuring 254 meters.
However, there were some areas of concern during the landing. The threshold speed was excessively high at 55 knots, which may indicate that the pilot could have benefited from a more gradual descent. Additionally, the touchdown speed was also excessively fast at 47 knots, which could have put additional stress on the aircraft's landing gear. On the other hand, the touchdown rate was good at -165 feet per minute, indicating a smooth and controlled descent.
The runway touchdown alignment was very good, suggesting that the pilot maintained a stable and consistent approach path. The local weather conditions at the time of the landing were favorable, with a temperature of 15°C and a light wind of 1 knot from 270°. The crosswind and headwind components were both minimal at 1 knot, which would not have presented a significant challenge for the pilot.
Overall, the landing was successful, but there were some areas for improvement, particularly in terms of speed management during the final approach and touchdown. With some adjustments to the pilot's technique, the aircraft's performance could be optimized to achieve even better results.
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