Events
Events
Events
Events
Events
Events
Events
Events
Events
Events
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
Events
Events
Events
Events
Events
Events
Events
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: 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 1,524 m of the approach.
Plan view — the first 1,524 m of the 3,190 m runway, to the same scale as the side view.
The 275 m touchdown sits inside the full-score zone. The arrival was smooth.
The rest of the report
The flight began with the Black Square Starship N45FL taxiing from the parking area to the runway at Louis Armstrong New Orleans International Airport, taking approximately 9 minutes and covering a distance of 2 nautical miles. The aircraft then departed from runway 02, with a takeoff distance of 853 meters, which was 40% of the runway length. The liftoff speed was 108 knots.
As the aircraft took off, it encountered local weather conditions with a temperature of 34 degrees Celsius and winds of 7 knots at 50 degrees. The crosswind was 4 knots, and the headwind was 6 knots. After departing from the airport, the enroute climb started 1 mile north of Kenner, Louisiana, and the aircraft climbed from an altitude of 1,032 feet above sea level to 34,017 feet above sea level, an increase of 32,984 feet in 21 minutes, covering a distance of 53 nautical miles.
The enroute level cruise began 19 miles northeast of Port Sulphur Airport, and it lasted for 79 minutes, covering a distance of 406 nautical miles. The aircraft then started its enroute descent 4 miles southwest of Rotonda West, Florida, and descended from 34,214 feet above sea level to 2,084 feet above sea level, a decrease of 32,130 feet in 19 minutes, covering a distance of 86 nautical miles.
The enroute level cruise started again 2 miles south of Lost Horn Ranch Airport, and it lasted for 4 minutes, covering a distance of 7 nautical miles. The final approach to runway 09 at Dade Collier Training and Transition Airport was made from the west, heading 90 degrees at 4 nautical miles and 1,319 feet above ground level.
The landing on runway 09 was successful, with a touchdown distance of 273 meters, which was good. The touchdown speed was 96 knots, and the touchdown rate was -162 feet per minute, both of which were good. The runway touchdown alignment was very good, and the local weather conditions were a temperature of 30 degrees Celsius and winds of 2 knots at 180 degrees. The crosswind was 2 knots, and the headwind was 0 knots.
The total landing distance was 1,120 meters, which was 35% of the runway length. The runway rollout alignment was perfect. The taxiing from the runway to the parking area took approximately 5 minutes and covered a distance of less than 1 nautical mile. The total flight distance was 560 nautical miles, and the flight duration was 141 minutes. The aircraft used 665 kilograms of fuel during the flight.
The aircraft, Black Square Starship N45FL, successfully landed at KTNT Dade Collier Training and Transition Airport, achieving a remarkable score of 99.8%. The final approach to runway 09 was executed from the west, with a heading of 90.0° at a distance of 4 nautical miles and an altitude of 1,319 feet above ground level (agl).
The landing was characterized by a good threshold height, indicating that the aircraft was properly aligned with the runway. However, the threshold speed was slightly below the target speed of 102 kt, coming in at 101 kt. Despite this minor deviation, the touchdown distance of 273 meters was deemed good, and the touchdown speed of 96 kt was also within acceptable limits.
The touchdown rate of -162 feet per minute (fpm) was also considered good, indicating a smooth and controlled descent. The runway touchdown alignment was very good, suggesting that the aircraft was properly aligned with the runway centerline. The local weather conditions at the time of the landing were favorable, with a temperature of 30°C and a wind speed of 2 kt from 180°, resulting in a negligible crosswind component.
The total landing distance of 1,120 meters was 35% of the runway length, which is a relatively short distance considering the aircraft's size and weight. The runway rollout alignment was perfect, indicating that the aircraft was properly aligned with the runway centerline during the rollout phase. Overall, the landing was a success, with the aircraft demonstrating excellent control and precision throughout the approach and landing phases.
Scroll or drag the slider to zoom · double-click to reset · hover for values