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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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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: five checks where the approach path is 500 ft above the runway. The 1,000 ft gate is an instrument-approach check and does not apply.
Side view — the last 1,524 m of the approach.
Plan view — the first 1,524 m of the 1,587 m runway, to the same scale as the side view.
Touched down 514 m past the threshold — beyond the full-score zone. The arrival was smooth.
The rest of the report
The flight began with the aircraft, a PC-12, taxiing from the parking area to the runway at KBCT Boca Raton Airport. This process took approximately 4 minutes and covered a distance of less than 1 nautical mile. The aircraft then departed from runway 05, with a takeoff distance of 606 meters, which accounted for 38% of the runway's length. The liftoff speed was 88 knots.
As the aircraft took off, it encountered local weather conditions with a temperature of 37 degrees Celsius and a wind speed of 0 knots at 179 degrees. There was no crosswind or headwind to contend with. After departing the runway, the aircraft entered a left-hand pattern, which it completed in a relatively short distance of less than 1 nautical mile in 83 seconds. The pattern crosswind leg was also completed in a short distance of less than 1 nautical mile in 14 seconds.
The aircraft then proceeded to the downwind turn, covering a distance of 2 nautical miles at an angle of 41.0 degrees to the runway. The downwind leg itself was 4 nautical miles long and took 98 seconds to complete. The base leg turn was another 2 nautical miles, with an angle of 26.5 degrees to the runway. The base leg was completed in a short distance of less than 1 nautical mile in 20 seconds. The final turn was also less than 1 nautical mile in 20 seconds.
The aircraft then began its final approach to runway 05 from the southwest, heading at 41.0 degrees and at an altitude of 428 feet above ground level. The landing was completed on the runway, which was 1,587 meters long. The threshold height was good, and the threshold speed was also satisfactory at 85 knots. The touchdown point was 126 meters beyond the touchdown zone, with a touchdown speed of 72 knots, which was considered good. However, the touchdown rate was fair at -280 feet per minute.
The total landing distance was 694 meters, accounting for 44% of the runway's length. The runway rollout alignment was perfect, indicating a smooth and controlled landing. The total flight distance was 9 nautical miles, taking approximately 10 minutes to complete, and the aircraft used 30 kilograms of fuel during the flight.
The aircraft in question, a PC-12, successfully landed at KBCT Boca Raton Airport, achieving a high score of 95.9%. The final approach to runway 05 was initiated from the southwest, with a heading of 41.0° at a distance of 1 nautical mile and an altitude of 428 feet above ground level (agl).
Upon landing, the aircraft touched down on the runway, with a threshold speed of 85 knots being well within the acceptable range. The touchdown point was located 126 meters beyond the designated touchdown zone, which is a relatively minor deviation. The touchdown speed of 72 knots was also satisfactory, indicating a smooth and controlled descent.
However, the touchdown rate of -280 feet per minute (fpm) was only fair, suggesting that the aircraft may have experienced a slightly higher-than-desired rate of descent during the final stages of the approach. Despite this, the runway touchdown alignment was perfect, indicating that the aircraft was well-aligned with the runway centerline at the moment of touchdown.
The local weather conditions at the time of the landing were favorable, with a temperature of 36°C and a wind speed of 0 knots from a direction of 179°. This resulted in a negligible crosswind and headwind component, making the landing even more straightforward.
The total landing distance of 694 meters was 44% of the available runway length, which is a relatively short distance considering the aircraft's size and weight. The runway rollout alignment was also perfect, indicating that the aircraft maintained its alignment with the runway centerline throughout the rollout phase.
Overall, the landing was a success, with the aircraft demonstrating good control and precision throughout the approach and touchdown phases. However, there is room for improvement in terms of touchdown rate, which could be addressed through adjustments to the approach configuration or pilot technique.
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