Events
Events
Events
MY FS FLIGHTS
Flight Score
Improve the pattern downwind leg
The 45-degrees-behind-the-wing cue assumes you can turn your head and use peripheral vision. Downwind spacing cues like "put the wingtip halfway up the strut" assume a fixed, known eyepoint. Neither survives a monitor unmodified. If you fly on a fixed monitor, stop pretending and fly a numbers-based circuit.
Read more in Pattern WorkStart to finish · 16 stages, 15 in the score
Events
Events
Events
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: seven checks where the approach path is 300 ft above the runway. The 1,000 ft gate is an instrument-approach check and does not apply.
At the 300 ft gate: off the centreline.
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 445 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 a nautical mile. The aircraft, a GA-8 Airvan Commuter Cargopod, then departed from runway 05 at EGPE Inverness Airport. The takeoff distance was 398 meters, which accounted for 22% of the runway length. The liftoff speed was 80 knots, and the local weather conditions were characterized by a temperature of 15 degrees Celsius and a wind speed of 1 knot from a direction of 273 degrees.
The aircraft then entered a left-hand pattern, with the entry from the runway taking less than a nautical mile in 17 seconds. The crosswind leg of the pattern was also flown from the left, covering a distance of less than a nautical mile in 39 seconds. The downwind turn was made at an angle of 90.1 degrees to the runway, and the downwind leg itself covered a distance of 2 nautical miles in 59 seconds. The base leg turn was made at an angle of 40.1 degrees to the runway, and the base leg itself covered a distance of less than a nautical mile in 25 seconds.
The final turn was made in preparation for the approach, and the aircraft then began its final approach to runway 05 at EGPE Inverness Airport from the southwest, flying at a heading of 48.0 degrees and an altitude of 200 feet above ground level. The landing was made on the runway, with the threshold height being slightly above the target and the threshold speed being slightly below the target at 72 knots.
The touchdown distance was good, at 444 meters, and the touchdown speed was also good at 50 knots. The touchdown rate was smooth, at -118 feet per minute, and the runway touchdown alignment was perfect. The total landing distance was 629 meters, which accounted for 35% of the runway length. The runway rollout alignment was also perfect.
The total flight distance was 7 nautical miles, and the flight took 9 minutes to complete. The aircraft used 3 kilograms of fuel during the flight. Overall, the flight was characterized by smooth and controlled operations, with good landing distances and alignment.
The GA-8 Airvan Commuter Cargopod successfully landed at EGPE Inverness Airport, achieving a high score of 96.9%. The aircraft approached the runway from the southwest, heading 48.0° at 1 nautical mile and 200 feet above ground level (agl). This indicates a precise and controlled approach, setting the stage for a smooth landing.
Upon landing, the aircraft touched down on runway 05, which has a length of 1,814 meters. The threshold height at 57 feet agl was slightly above the target, suggesting a minor deviation from the ideal approach path. However, this did not significantly impact the overall landing performance. The threshold speed was also slightly below the target at 72 knots, but this was not a major concern.
The touchdown distance of 444 meters was considered good, indicating that the aircraft maintained a stable and controlled descent. The touchdown speed of 50 knots was also within acceptable limits, further emphasizing the smooth nature of the landing. The touchdown rate of -118 feet per minute (fpm) was smooth, suggesting that the aircraft absorbed the impact of landing without any significant shock or jolt.
One of the standout aspects of this landing was the perfect runway touchdown alignment. This indicates that the aircraft was precisely aligned with the runway, reducing the risk of deviation or loss of control during the landing process. The local weather conditions at the time of landing were favorable, with a temperature of 15°C and a gentle wind of 1 knot at 273°. The crosswind and tailwind components were both minimal, at 1 knot each, which further contributed to the smooth nature of the landing.
The total landing distance of 629 meters, which is 35% of the runway length, was also considered acceptable. This suggests that the aircraft maintained a stable and controlled descent throughout the landing process. Finally, the runway rollout alignment was perfect, indicating that the aircraft maintained its alignment with the runway even after touchdown, reducing the risk of deviation or loss of control during the rollout phase. Overall, this landing was a testament to the pilot's skill and the aircraft's performance, achieving a high score of 96.9%.
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