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MY FS FLIGHTS
Flight Score
Smooth the climb
A good takeoff has a defined shape. It also has a defined end. For an airliner that's thrust reduction and acceleration, commonly somewhere around 1,000 to 1,500 ft above the airfield depending on the operator, while for a light aircraft it's established at Vy with the flaps on schedule. Most simmers have no defined end to their takeoff, which is exactly why it never gets judged.
Read more in Improve Your Take-OffsStart 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: 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.
Side view — the last 5,000 ft of the approach.
Plan view — the first 5,000 ft of the 11,013 ft runway, to the same scale as the side view.
The 1,371 ft touchdown sits inside the full-score zone. The arrival was smooth.
The rest of the report
The flight began with the Honda HA420 taxiing from the parking area to the runway at KFOE Topeka Regional Airport, a process that took 4 minutes and covered less than 1 nautical mile. The aircraft then departed from runway 21, with a takeoff distance of 3,424 feet, which accounted for 49% of the runway. The liftoff speed was 146 knots.
As the aircraft took off, it encountered local weather conditions of a temperature of 56°F and a wind speed of 16 knots at 219°. The crosswind was negligible, but the aircraft had a significant headwind of 16 knots. After departing from Topeka, the aircraft began its enroute climb, which started overhead the airport and took the aircraft from an altitude of 1,410 feet above sea level to 23,009 feet above sea level, an increase of 21,599 feet in 9 minutes, covering a distance of 38 nautical miles.
The enroute climb was followed by a level cruise, which began 4 miles north of Alta Vista, Kansas, and lasted for 54 minutes, covering a distance of 346 nautical miles. The aircraft then started its enroute descent, which began 8 miles east of CD15 Schantz Airstrip in Simla, Colorado, and took the aircraft from an altitude of 22,996 feet above sea level to 7,454 feet above sea level, a decrease of 15,542 feet in 10 minutes, covering a distance of 44 nautical miles.
The final approach to runway 17R at KCOS City of Colorado Springs Municipal Airport was made from the north, with the aircraft heading 180° at a distance of 4 nautical miles and an altitude of 1,305 feet above ground level. The landing on runway 17R, which had a length of 11,013 feet, was successful, with a threshold height that was good and a threshold speed that was well above the target at 120 knots.
The touchdown distance was good at 1,377 feet, but the touchdown speed of 112 knots was fast, and the touchdown rate was firm at -316 feet per minute. The runway touchdown position was misaligned by 42 feet from the centreline, and the runway rollout alignment was also slightly misaligned by 42 feet from the centreline. The local weather conditions at the time of landing were a temperature of 59°F and a wind speed of 1 knot at 270°, with a negligible crosswind and no headwind.
The total landing distance was 3,178 feet, which accounted for 29% of the runway. After landing, the aircraft taxied to the parking area, a process that took 1 minute and covered less than 1 nautical mile. The total flight distance was 434 nautical miles, and the flight duration was 81 minutes, with the aircraft using 0 pounds of fuel.
The Honda HA420 aircraft successfully landed at the City of Colorado Springs Municipal Airport (KCOS) on runway 17R. The final approach was initiated from the north, heading 180.0° at a distance of 4 nautical miles and an altitude of 1,305 feet above ground level (agl). The aircraft demonstrated a good threshold height, which is a crucial aspect of a safe landing.
Upon touchdown, the aircraft's threshold speed was found to be above the target speed, registering at 120 knots. This indicates that the pilot maintained a safe margin of speed during the landing, which is essential for controlling the aircraft's descent and preventing any potential loss of control. The touchdown distance of 1,377 feet was also within acceptable limits, suggesting that the pilot executed the landing smoothly.
However, the touchdown speed of 112 knots was slightly faster than the desired speed, which may have resulted in a firmer touchdown rate of -316 feet per minute (fpm). A firmer touchdown rate can be a concern, as it may put additional stress on the aircraft's landing gear and potentially lead to a bumpy ride for passengers.
One notable issue during the landing was the misalignment of the runway touchdown position, which was off-centerline by 42 feet. This misalignment was also observed during the runway rollout alignment, indicating that the pilot may have experienced some difficulty in maintaining a straight course during the landing. Despite this, the total landing distance of 3,178 feet was only 29% of the runway length, which is a relatively short distance and suggests that the pilot executed the landing efficiently.
The local weather conditions at the time of the landing were favorable, with a temperature of 59°F and a wind speed of 1 knot from 270°. The crosswind component was minimal, at 1 knot, and the headwind component was zero. Overall, the Honda HA420 aircraft demonstrated a good performance during the landing, with some minor issues that can be addressed in future training sessions.
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