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MY FS FLIGHTS
Flight Score
Work on the flare
See Arrival Landing
Arrive slow and the sink rate at the threshold is already above schedule, the flare is short because there is no energy to extend it, and the touchdown is hard in a way that feels exactly like a late flare. Diagnosing a slow arrival as a late flare is the catastrophic misread: you respond by flaring earlier, which bleeds more speed, which makes the next one worse. The tiebreaker is threshold speed against VRef, not feel. Never diagnose a flare without it.
Read more in Flare TimingStart 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 seven checks, where the approach path is 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 3,655 m runway, to the same scale as the side view.
The 456 m touchdown sits inside the full-score zone. The arrival was smooth.
The rest of the report
The flight, operated by an Airbus A320, began its journey from the parking area of KDFW Dallas Fort Worth International Airport. Taxiing to the runway took a total of 7 minutes and covered approximately 1 nautical mile. Upon departure from runway 17R, the aircraft took off with a remarkable speed of 163 knots, and the takeoff distance covered 49% of the runway length of 1,998 meters.
The climb phase of the flight began shortly after departing KDFW, with the ascent continuing from an initial altitude of 1,614 feet above sea level to a substantial 13,000 meters or 39,052 feet above sea level. The ascent covered 113 nautical miles in 20 minutes, a testament to the aircraft's impressive climb capabilities.
Following the initial climb phase, the aircraft transitioned into a level cruise phase. Starting from 1 mile east of TS20 C Lazy T Ranch Airport Seymour in Texas, the aircraft cruised at a steady altitude for 54 minutes, covering an expansive 357 nautical miles while maintaining a steady rate of altitude.
As the flight progressed toward its destination, the enroute descent phase began 11 miles east of 6CO6 Skywagon Ranch Airport Berthoud in Colorado. The aircraft descended from 38,677 feet to an altitude of 2,024 meters or 6,582 feet, a decrease of over 32,000 feet in a mere 20 minutes, demonstrating exceptional rate of climb capabilities before the final descent phase.
As the aircraft approached KDEN Denver International Airport, the final approach phase began, and the aircraft prepared to touch down on the runway. The approach speed of 134 knots was satisfactory, and the aircraft touched down on runway 26 at 131 knots, albeit slightly above recommended speeds. However, the landing rate was somewhat high at -457 fpm. Additionally, the touchdown point was 47 meters beyond the designated touchdown zone, and the runway touchdown position was off-center by 9.1 meters.
The aircraft's landing distance covered 1,332 meters, accounting for 36% of the runway length. Following touchdown, the runway rollout alignment was slightly misaligned, with the aircraft deviating from the centerline by 8.3 meters. Taxiing from the runway to the parking area took 6 minutes and covered 1 nautical mile, bringing the aircraft to a standstill after the journey.
The entire flight duration was around 107 minutes, covering a total distance of 581 nautical miles and using approximately 3,862 kilograms of fuel.
A comprehensive analysis of the Airbus A320's successful landing at Denver International Airport (KDEN) reveals a mixed performance. Final approach to runway 26 was executed with precision from the east, tracking a heading of 271.0° at 4 nautical miles (nm) and 1,218 feet above ground level (agl). The aircraft demonstrated a good control of speed, reaching the desired threshold speed of 134 knots at the critical juncture before touchdown.
However, further examination reveals a few areas of concern. The aircraft landed 47 meters beyond the designated touchdown zone, an indication that the pilot may have been slightly hesitant to touch down at the precise moment. This was compounded by a touchdown speed of 131 knots, which was considered a bit too high. As a result, the aircraft experienced an unusually hard touchdown rate of -457 feet per minute (fpm), a value significantly higher than what is typically considered safe.
Another concerning aspect of the landing was the misalignment with the runway touchdown position. The aircraft strayed 9.1 meters away from the centerline, suggesting that the pilot may have deviated from the optimal flight path during the final stages of the approach. In a similar vein, the aircraft's rollout after touchdown failed to perfectly align with the runway centerline, again drifting by an 8.3 meter margin.
In terms of environmental conditions, the analysis indicates that the local weather at the time of landing was relatively favorable, with a temperature of 24 degrees Celsius. Despite the somewhat imperfect performance, the aircraft still managed to land within a relatively safe distance of 1,332 meters, which only accounts for 36% of the total runway length of 3,655 meters.
In conclusion, the Airbus A320's landing at KDEN highlights several areas of improvement for the pilots. While the approach and speed management generally met expectations, issues with touchdown speed and post-landing alignment demonstrate the need for refinement in the pilots' technique.
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