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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 · 19 stages, 17 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
wheel landing
Side view — the last 1,027 m of the approach.
Plan view — the full 1,027 m runway, to the same scale as the side view.
The 207 m touchdown sits inside the full-score zone. The arrival was smooth.
The rest of the report
The flight began with the Cessna Grand Caravan taxiing from the parking area to the runway, a process that took 4 minutes and covered less than 1 nautical mile. Once on the runway, the aircraft departed from runway 06 at Port McNeill Airport, a CAT5 airport. The takeoff distance was 118 meters, which accounted for 16% of the runway. The liftoff speed was 35 knots, and the local weather conditions were characterized by a temperature of 15°C and a wind speed of 7 knots at 188 degrees.
As the aircraft took off, it began its enroute climb, which started overhead Port McNeill Airport. The climb took the aircraft from an altitude of 857 feet above sea level to 4,904 feet above sea level, an increase of 4,047 feet in just 3 minutes, covering a distance of 5 nautical miles. The enroute level cruise then began 2 miles south east of Alert Bay Airport, lasting for 63 minutes and covering a distance of 191 nautical miles.
The enroute descent started 1 mile north west of Friday Harbor Airport, where the aircraft descended from 4,946 feet above sea level to 4,419 feet above sea level, a decrease of 527 feet in 2 minutes, covering a distance of 5 nautical miles. The aircraft then entered another enroute level cruise, this time starting 1 mile south west of Burden Field Airport, lasting for 3 minutes and covering a distance of 1 nautical mile.
The final approach to runway 34 at Friday Harbor Airport was made from the south, heading 355.0 degrees at a distance of 3 nautical miles and an altitude of 1,550 feet above ground level. The landing was successful, with a touchdown distance of 206 meters, which was 53% of the runway length. The touchdown speed was 69 knots, and the touchdown rate was -192 feet per minute, both of which were considered good.
The local weather conditions at the time of landing were characterized by a temperature of 15°C and a wind speed of 7 knots at 188 degrees, with a crosswind of 1 knot and a tailwind of 7 knots. The runway touchdown position was slightly misaligned from the centerline by 4.6 meters. The runway rollout alignment was very good, and the total landing distance was 549 meters.
After landing, the aircraft taxied to the parking area, a process that took 1 minute and covered less than 1 nautical mile. The total flight distance was 206 nautical miles, and the flight duration was 76 minutes. The aircraft used a total of 340 kilograms of fuel during the flight.
The Cessna Grand Caravan 01 successfully landed at KFHR Friday Harbor Airport, achieving a score of 97.5%. The aircraft approached the runway from the south, heading 355.0° at 3 nautical miles and 1,550 feet above ground level (agl). The pilot executed a precise final approach, taking into account the local weather conditions.
The temperature was 15°C, and the wind was blowing at 7 knots from 188°. This resulted in a crosswind of 1 knot and a tailwind of 7 knots. Despite these conditions, the pilot maintained control of the aircraft and landed safely on runway 34, which has a length of 1,027 meters. The threshold height was good, and the threshold speed was also satisfactory at 77 knots.
Upon touchdown, the aircraft's speed was 69 knots, which was within the acceptable range. The touchdown distance was 206 meters, and the touchdown rate was -192 feet per minute (fpm), indicating a smooth and controlled descent. However, the runway touchdown position was slightly misaligned by 4.6 meters from the centerline.
The total landing distance was 549 meters, which accounted for 53% of the runway length. This is a relatively short landing distance, indicating that the pilot executed a precise and controlled approach. The runway rollout alignment was also very good, demonstrating the pilot's skill and expertise in handling the aircraft.
Overall, the landing was successful, and the pilot's performance was commendable, considering the challenging weather conditions. The Cessna Grand Caravan 01's advanced avionics and handling characteristics played a significant role in the safe and efficient execution of the landing.
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