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MY FS FLIGHTS
Flight Score
Avoid steep turns at low altitude
Below a thousand feet the aeroplane is slow, heavy and close to the ground. A steep turn loses lift, raises the stall speed and flattens the climb just when the gradient matters most. A normal turn on course is a rate one — fifteen degrees or so, twenty-five at the outside, this penalty is to acknowledge when a turn has stopped being a turn and become a manoeuvre.
Read more in Improve Your Take-OffsStart to finish · 18 stages, 16 scored
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Two stabilised approach gates, each with six checks at 1,000 ft and 500 ft above the runway.
The approach, gate by gate
Side view — the last 1,524 m of the approach.
Plan view — the first 1,524 m of the 2,433 m runway, to the same scale as the side view.
The 269 m touchdown sits inside the full-score zone. The arrival was smooth.
The rest of the report
Departing from Rapid City Regional Airport, the CRJ900 began its journey by taxiing from the parking area to the runway, a process that took 5 minutes and covered a distance of approximately 1 nautical mile. Upon reaching runway 14, the aircraft initiated its departure roll, accelerating down the 1,690-meter-long runway, which represented 64% of its total length. The aircraft lifted off at a speed of 153 knots, taking advantage of the 10-knot headwind that was blowing from a direction of 150 degrees.
As the aircraft climbed away from the airport, it began its enroute climb, which started 1 mile south of Dan's Airport in Rapid City. The climb phase was characterized by a significant increase in altitude, from 3,979 feet above sea level to 36,981 feet, a rise of 33,002 feet in just 11 minutes. This climb phase covered a distance of 155 nautical miles, setting the stage for the enroute level cruise that followed. The cruise phase, which lasted 5 minutes, saw the aircraft maintain a steady altitude as it covered a further 164 nautical miles.
As the aircraft began its enroute descent, it started 2 miles southwest of Schmidt Private Airport in Vesta, Minnesota. The descent phase was marked by a decrease in altitude, from 36,996 feet to 2,175 feet, a drop of 34,821 feet in 20 minutes. This phase covered a distance of 133 nautical miles, bringing the aircraft closer to its destination, Minneapolis-Saint Paul International Airport. Upon reaching the airport, the aircraft initiated its final approach to runway 30R, aligning itself with the runway from the southeast. The landing was successful, with the aircraft touching down at a speed of 137 knots and a distance of 268 meters, which represented 45% of the runway's total length. The aircraft then taxied to the parking area, a process that took 2 minutes and covered less than 1 nautical mile. The total flight distance was 460 nautical miles, and the aircraft used 2,070 kilograms of fuel during the journey.
The CRJ900 touched down on runway 30R at KMSP Minneapolis–Saint Paul International Airport with a good threshold height, allowing the crew to maintain a stable approach profile. The threshold speed was well-managed at 139 kt, indicating a smooth transition from the approach to the touchdown phase. The aircraft's touchdown distance of 268 m was within acceptable limits, demonstrating the crew's ability to control the aircraft's descent and speed.
However, the touchdown speed of 137 kt was slightly above the optimal range, resulting in a fair touchdown rate of -265 fpm. Despite this, the runway touchdown alignment was very good, indicating that the crew maintained a consistent and accurate approach path. The local weather conditions, with a temperature of 7 °C and a 9 kt headwind, posed minimal challenges to the landing.
The CRJ900's rollout was characterized by excellent alignment, with the aircraft staying centered on the runway. The total landing distance of 1,103 m, which accounted for 45% of the runway length, was within acceptable limits. Overall, the landing was scored 98.8%, reflecting the crew's proficiency and ability to execute a safe and controlled landing in a variety of conditions.
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