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MY FS FLIGHTS
Flight Score
Keep the approach speed on target
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 · 18 stages, 16 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 five checks, where the approach path is 1,000 ft and 500 ft above the runway.
At the 1,000 ft gate: sink rate above what the glideslope needed.
The approach, gate by gate
Side view — the last 1,358 m of the approach.
Plan view — the full 1,358 m runway, to the same scale as the side view.
Touched down 674 m past the threshold — beyond the full-score zone. The arrival was smooth.
The rest of the report
The departure of the flight started with the aircraft, a TBM 930, taxiing from the parking area to runway 22R at KSFF Felts Field, a process that took 3 minutes and covered a distance of less than 1 nm. Taking off from runway 22R, the aircraft reached a liftoff speed of 80 kt after a takeoff distance that was 27% of the entire runway length, specifically 365 m.
As the flight progressed, it encountered local weather conditions of a temperature of 31 °C, along with a wind speed of 6 kt from 258°. The crosswind component was minimal at 2 kt, while the headwind component was substantial at 5 kt. Climbing from an initial altitude of 2,968 ft above sea level, the aircraft reached a maximum altitude of 29,015 ft in 17 minutes, covering a distance of 58 nm.
Once level cruising was achieved, the aircraft flew for 94 minutes, covering a total distance of 533 nm. At this stage, the aircraft had moved away from its original route and was now overhead Moscow, Idaho. The enroute climb phase concluded 12 miles west of Upton, Wyoming, where the aircraft began its descent. From an altitude of 29,065 ft, the aircraft descended to 4,411 ft in 17 minutes, covering a distance of 78 nm.
As the aircraft entered the final approach phase, it was heading towards runway 01 at KHSR Hot Springs Municipal Airport from the south, with a heading of 22.0°. The aircraft was flying at 4 nm and 1,249 ft above ground level. Upon touchdown, the aircraft landed on runway 01, which had a total length of 1,358 m. Although the threshold height was good, the threshold speed was excessively high at 108 kt.
The touch down point was very long, with the aircraft using more than 50% of the available runway. The touchdown speed recorded was 84 kt, which was too fast. However, the touchdown rate was fair at -237 fpm. Fortunately, the runway touchdown alignment was very good, resulting in a perfect runway rollout alignment.
The flight concluded with the aircraft taxiing to the parking area, which took less than 1 minute and covered a distance of less than 1 nm. With a total distance covered of 675 nm, the flight took 137 minutes, using 422 kg of fuel in the process.
The TBM 930 aircraft successfully landed on runway 01 at KHSR Hot Springs Municipal Airport, but with a few notable areas for improvement. The final approach was conducted from the south, with a heading of 22.0° at approximately 4 nautical miles from the threshold and an altitude of 1,249 feet above ground level (agl). This approach angle allowed the pilot to maintain a good threshold height, a critical factor in ensuring a safe landing.
However, several issues were noted during the landing. Perhaps the most significant concern was the threshold speed, which exceeded 108 knots, a speed that is generally considered too high for a safe touchdown. Additionally, the touchdown point was located very far down the runway, exceeding 50% of the available distance. This excessive length of landing roll increased the risk of overshooting the runway or getting caught off guard by an unexpected taxiway.
The touchdown speed of 84 knots was also higher than optimal, resulting in a fair touchdown rate of -237 feet per minute (fpm). A lower touchdown speed combined with an optimal rate of descent would have provided a smoother and more controlled approach. Despite these issues, the runway touchdown alignment was deemed very good, which suggests that the aircraft was on course and aligned properly with the runway.
Weather conditions on the day of the landing were relatively calm, with a temperature of 20°C and a low wind speed of 2 knots from a direction of 74°. The resultant crosswind and headwind were minimal at 2 and 1 knots, respectively. With a total landing distance of 875 meters, the aircraft covered 64% of the available runway length, indicating a satisfactory level of control during the landing phase.
The aircraft's rollout alignment was found to be perfect, showing that the pilot was able to execute a successful recovery and control the aircraft's trajectory after touchdown. Overall, while there were areas where the pilot could improve their skills, the TBM 930 demonstrated its capabilities and the pilot's basic skills during the landing at KHSR Hot Springs Municipal Airport, ultimately achieving a score of 88.1%.
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