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MY FS FLIGHTS
Flight Score
Keep the approach speed on target
See Arrival Landing
Every knot above Vref is stored kinetic energy, and energy stored at the threshold must be dissipated in ground effect before the aeroplane will stop flying. Because kinetic energy scales with the square of speed, the excess you must dissipate grows fast. At a 45-knot approach, five knots hot is over a tenth more speed and roughly a quarter more energy to get rid of in ground effect. This is why the fix is never in the flare. It was decided three miles earlier, on final, at the airspeed indicator.
Read more in VRef ExplainedStart to finish · 22 stages, 20 scored
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The threshold, the flare and the hold-off. The approach that led to it is the stabilisation gates below.
Two stabilised approach gates, each with seven checks, where the approach path is 1,000 ft and 500 ft above the runway.
At the 1,000 ft gate: speed above the reference speed.
At the 500 ft gate: speed above the reference speed.
The approach, gate by gate
Side view — the last 1,524 m of the approach.
Plan view — the first 1,524 m of the 2,434 m runway, to the same scale as the side view.
Touched down 510 m past the threshold — beyond the full-score zone. The arrival was smooth.
The rest of the report
Departing from Munich Airport, the Airbus A321 began its journey by taxiing from the parking area to the runway, a process that took 9 minutes and covered a distance of 2 nautical miles. As the aircraft lined up on runway 26L, the crew prepared for departure, taking into account the local weather conditions, with a temperature of 6 °C and a wind speed of 9 kt at 300 °. The aircraft lifted off the ground at a speed of 158 kt, using 37% of the available runway length of 1,472 meters.
As the aircraft climbed to its initial cruising altitude, it passed overhead Hallbergmoos, Bavaria, Germany, and continued to ascend to 33,555 feet above sea level, an increase of 31,022 feet in just 16 minutes, covering a distance of 101 nautical miles. The crew then leveled off the aircraft, cruising at a steady altitude for a short period before initiating another climb, this time to 35,962 feet above sea level, an increase of 1,588 feet in just 2 minutes. The aircraft then entered a prolonged level cruise, lasting 69 minutes, during which it covered a distance of 445 nautical miles. As the aircraft approached its destination, it began its descent, passing overhead Brixworth, Northamptonshire, England, and continuing to descend to 3,504 feet above sea level, a decrease of 32,527 feet in 18 minutes.
As the aircraft entered the final approach phase, it climbed to 5,006 feet above sea level before beginning its descent to 1,636 feet above sea level, a decrease of 3,369 feet in just 5 minutes. The aircraft then lined up for a landing on runway 23R at Manchester Airport, using a heading of 231.0 ° and a distance of 4 nautical miles from the threshold. The aircraft touched down at a speed of 132 kt, slightly above the target speed, but with a good touchdown rate of -151 fpm. The total landing distance was 1,330 meters, 55% of the available runway length. After landing, the aircraft taxied to the parking area, a process that took 8 minutes and covered a distance of less than 1 nautical mile. The total flight distance was 681 nautical miles, taking 128 minutes, and the aircraft used 5,691 kilograms of fuel during the journey.
The aircraft, an Airbus A321, commenced its final approach to runway 23R at EGCC Manchester Airport from the north east, aligning with the heading of 231.0° at a distance of 4 nautical miles and an altitude of 1,404 feet above ground level. The approach quality was satisfactory, with a good threshold height achieved. However, the threshold speed was notably higher than the target, reaching 147 knots.
As the aircraft touched down on the runway, it landed 88 meters beyond the touchdown zone, with a touchdown speed of 132 knots, which was slightly above the desired rate. The touchdown rate, however, was commendable at -151 feet per minute. The runway touchdown alignment was flawless, with the aircraft perfectly centered on the runway. The local weather conditions, with a temperature of 11°C and a wind speed of 27 knots from 240°, contributed to a relatively smooth landing. The crosswind component was minimal at 4 knots, while the headwind component was substantial at 26 knots.
The total landing distance of 1,330 meters was 55% of the runway length, indicating a relatively short landing distance. The runway rollout alignment was also perfect, with the aircraft maintaining its centerline alignment throughout the rollout phase. Overall, the landing performance was impressive, with a score of 98.7% reflecting the high level of proficiency demonstrated by the crew.
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