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MY FS FLIGHTS
Flight Score
Improve the pattern base leg
Bank angle in the pattern is conventionally kept to 20 to 30 degrees, and the base-to-final turn is where that convention earns its keep. Stall speed rises with bank because the wing must produce more lift in a turn. Roughly 7 per cent higher at 30 degrees, about 19 per cent at 45, and around 40 per cent at 60. At 65 kt on base you don't have much margin to spend steepening a turn to salvage an overshoot.
Read more in Pattern WorkStart to finish · 17 stages, 15 scored
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One stabilised approach gate for a circuit: six checks at the point nearest 500 ft above the runway after the base turn. The 1,000 ft gate is an instrument-approach check and does not apply.
The approach, gate by gate
Side view — the last 1,524 m of the approach.
Plan view — the first 1,524 m of the 1,814 m runway, to the same scale as the side view.
The 196 m touchdown sits inside the full-score zone. The arrival was smooth.
The rest of the report
The flight began with a quick taxi from the parking area to the runway, taking less than a minute and covering a distance of less than 1 nautical mile. The aircraft, a DA40-NG, then departed from runway 23 at EGPE Inverness Airport, with a takeoff distance of 385 meters, which accounted for 21% of the runway. The liftoff speed was 69 knots, and the local weather conditions were favorable, with a temperature of 9°C and a wind speed of 0 knots at 331 degrees.
As the aircraft entered the left-hand pattern from runway 23, it covered a distance of less than 1 nautical mile in just 20 seconds. The left-hand pattern crosswind leg was completed in 23 seconds, and the pattern downwind turn was made at an angle of 85.7 degrees to the runway. The downwind leg itself was 2 nautical miles long and took 67 seconds to complete.
The pattern base leg turn was made at an angle of 36.3 degrees to the runway, and the base leg itself was less than 1 nautical mile long and took 28 seconds to complete. The final turn was made in just 12 seconds, and the aircraft then began its final approach to runway 23 from the north-east, heading 229.0 degrees at an altitude of 256 feet above ground level.
The landing on runway 23 was smooth and controlled, with a threshold speed of 68 knots and a touchdown speed of 56 knots. The touchdown distance was 194 meters, which was 21% of the runway length. The touchdown rate was excellent at -83 feet per minute, and the runway touchdown alignment was very good. The local weather conditions remained favorable, with a temperature of 9°C and a wind speed of 0 knots at 330 degrees.
The total landing distance was 387 meters, which was again 21% of the runway length. The runway rollout alignment was perfect, and the aircraft came to a stop without any issues. The total flight distance was 5 nautical miles, and the flight took 5 minutes to complete, using a total of 1 kilogram of fuel.
The DA40-NG aircraft successfully landed at EGPE Inverness Airport, demonstrating a high level of proficiency in its pilot. The final approach was initiated from the north-east, aligning with the runway 23 threshold at a height of 256 feet above ground level (agl) and a distance of 0 nautical miles from the runway.
The aircraft's approach speed and configuration were well-managed, with a threshold speed of 68 knots being achieved. This indicates that the pilot had sufficient control over the aircraft's descent and was able to maintain a stable approach. The touchdown distance of 194 meters was also within acceptable limits, suggesting that the pilot had a good understanding of the aircraft's performance and was able to land it safely.
The touchdown speed of 56 knots was also satisfactory, and the touchdown rate of -83 feet per minute (fpm) was excellent. This indicates that the pilot was able to control the aircraft's descent and touchdown, minimizing the risk of damage to the aircraft or injury to occupants.
The local weather conditions at the time of landing were favorable, with a temperature of 9 degrees Celsius and a wind speed of 0 knots from 330 degrees. This meant that there was no crosswind or headwind to contend with, making the landing even more straightforward.
The total landing distance of 387 meters was only 21% of the runway length, indicating that the pilot had a good understanding of the aircraft's performance and was able to land it safely and efficiently. The runway rollout alignment was also perfect, suggesting that the pilot had maintained control of the aircraft throughout the landing process.
Overall, this landing demonstrates a high level of proficiency in the pilot, with a good understanding of the aircraft's performance and a ability to manage the approach and landing safely and efficiently.
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