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MY FS FLIGHTS
Flight Score
Shorten the long landing
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 · 26 stages, 25 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.
The approach, gate by gate
Side view — the last 1,217 m of the approach.
Plan view — the full 1,217 m runway, to the same scale as the side view.
The 109 m touchdown sits inside the full-score zone. The arrival was smooth.
The rest of the report
The flight in question was conducted using an F-35A Lightning II aircraft, departing from runway 30L at the Minneapolis–Saint Paul International Airport (KMSP). The aircraft took off with a takeoff distance of 618 meters, which is 20% of the runway length. The liftoff speed was 198 knots, and the local weather conditions at the time of departure were a temperature of 27 degrees Celsius and a wind speed of 8 knots from a direction of 299 degrees.
After departing from KMSP, the aircraft began its enroute climb, reaching an altitude of 1,782 feet above sea level (asl) in just 1 minute, covering a distance of 4 nautical miles. The climb was followed by a series of level cruises and descents, with the aircraft passing over various locations in Minnesota and Wisconsin, including Sunfish Lake, Prescott, Hager City, and La Crosse.
One of the notable climbs occurred when the aircraft ascended from 2,107 feet asl to 8,137 feet asl in just 5 minutes, covering a distance of 26 nautical miles. The aircraft then entered a level cruise, lasting 7 minutes and covering 35 nautical miles. Another climb took place when the aircraft ascended from 8,283 feet asl to 8,778 feet asl in just 2 minutes, covering a distance of 8 nautical miles.
The aircraft then began its descent, descending from 8,787 feet asl to 3,619 feet asl in just 2 minutes, covering a distance of 10 nautical miles. The descent was followed by a series of level cruises and climbs, with the aircraft passing over various locations in Wisconsin and Iowa.
The final approach to runway 28 at Middleton Muni - Morey Field (C29) was conducted from the east, with the aircraft heading 284.0 degrees at a distance of 4 nautical miles and an altitude of 961 feet above ground level (agl). The landing was successful, with a touchdown distance of 108 meters and a touchdown speed of 141 knots. However, the touchdown rate was very heavy at -964 feet per minute, and the runway touchdown position was misaligned by 7.6 meters from the centerline.
The local weather conditions at the time of landing were a temperature of 32 degrees Celsius and a wind speed of 18 knots from a direction of 195 degrees. The total landing distance was 757 meters, which is 62% of the runway length. The runway rollout alignment was also misaligned by 16.3 meters from the centerline.
After landing, the aircraft taxied to the parking area, taking 78 minutes to cover a distance of less than 1 nautical mile. The total flight distance was 220 nautical miles, and the flight duration was 47 minutes. The aircraft used a total of -88 kilograms of fuel during the flight.
The F-35A Lightning II aircraft successfully landed at C29 Middleton Muni - Morey Field, with a final approach score of 82.2%. The aircraft was approaching the runway from the east, heading 284.0° at a distance of 4 nautical miles and an altitude of 961 feet above ground level (agl). The pilot executed a good final approach, touching down on the runway with a speed of 146 knots, which was within the threshold speed requirements.
The touchdown distance of 108 meters was also within the acceptable range, indicating a smooth and controlled landing. However, the touchdown speed of 141 knots was slightly lower than the threshold speed, but still considered good. Unfortunately, the touchdown rate was very heavy, at -964 feet per minute (fpm), which may indicate a slightly aggressive descent.
Upon landing, the aircraft's runway touchdown position was misaligned by 7.6 meters from the centerline, which may have been due to a slight deviation in the pilot's alignment or a minor issue with the aircraft's navigation system. The local weather conditions at the time of landing were characterized by a temperature of 32°C and a wind speed of 18 knots from 195°, resulting in a crosswind of 18 knots and a headwind of 2 knots.
The total landing distance of 757 meters was 62% of the runway length, which is a relatively short distance considering the aircraft's size and weight. However, the runway rollout alignment was also misaligned by 16.3 meters from the centerline, which may indicate a slight issue with the pilot's control or a minor problem with the aircraft's braking system.
Overall, the landing was considered successful, but with some minor issues that need to be addressed to improve the pilot's performance and the aircraft's handling characteristics.
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