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MY FS FLIGHTS
Flight Score
Know your rotation speed
A typical trainer rotates in the mid-50s of knots - a 172 at around 55 KIAS, climbing out at a Vy in the low 70s, though check your own POH rather than memorising Cessna's numbers - and the transferable rule is that Vr sits just above the stall speed in takeoff configuration. Rotate early because "it felt ready" and the aircraft lifts off inside ground effect, where induced drag is reduced, then climbs out of it into more drag. On a marginal-performance day the result is an aircraft that lifts off and then refuses to climb, sagging back towards the runway.
Read more in Improve Your Take-OffsStart to finish · 13 stages, 11 scored
Events
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Events
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 917 m of the approach.
Plan view — the full 917 m runway, to the same scale as the side view.
The 104 m touchdown sits inside the full-score zone. The arrival was smooth.
The rest of the report
The flight began with a departure roll from runway 26 at Saanen Airfield, LSGK. The Cessna C182 aircraft accelerated down the 438-meter runway, covering 56% of its length, before lifting off at a speed of 70 knots. The local weather conditions at the time of takeoff were characterized by a temperature of 19 degrees Celsius and a gentle wind of 2 knots from 207 degrees, resulting in a 1-knot headwind and a negligible crosswind.
As the aircraft climbed away from the airfield, it began its enroute climb, which started overhead Rougemont in the Canton de Vaud, Switzerland. The aircraft ascended from an initial altitude of 3,716 feet above sea level to a maximum altitude of 7,599 feet, a vertical gain of 3,883 feet, in just 5 minutes. During this climb, the aircraft covered a distance of 5 nautical miles.
After reaching its cruising altitude, the aircraft began its enroute descent, which started 3 miles west of Zweisimmen in the Canton de Berne, Switzerland. The descent from 7,590 feet to 3,490 feet, a vertical loss of 4,100 feet, took 4 minutes to complete, during which the aircraft covered a distance of 7 nautical miles.
The final approach to runway 32 at Sankt Stephan Airfield, LSTS, was made from the southeast, heading 313.0 degrees, at an altitude of 172 feet above ground level. The aircraft touched down on the runway, which was 917 meters long, with a threshold speed that was slightly below the target speed of 53 knots. The touchdown distance was good, at 102 meters, and the touchdown speed was also satisfactory, at 48 knots.
However, the touchdown rate was fair, at -218 feet per minute, and the runway touchdown alignment was perfect. The local weather conditions at the time of landing were similar to those at takeoff, with a temperature of 19 degrees Celsius and a gentle wind of 1 knot from 216 degrees, resulting in a negligible crosswind and a 0-knot headwind.
The total landing distance was 653 meters, which was 71% of the runway length. The runway rollout alignment was slightly misaligned from the centerline, by 13.8 meters. The aircraft taxied to the parking area from the runway in just 1 minute, covering a distance of less than 1 nautical mile.
The total flight distance was 13 nautical miles, and the flight duration was 12 minutes. The aircraft used a total of 5 kilograms of fuel during the flight.
The Cessna C182 aircraft successfully landed at LSTS Sankt Stephan Airfield, achieving a score of 92.0%. The final approach was conducted from the south east, heading 313.0° at 0 nm and 172 ft above ground level (agl). The aircraft touched down on runway 32, which has a length of 917 meters.
The threshold height was good, indicating that the aircraft was at the correct height as it approached the runway. However, the threshold speed was slightly below the target speed of 53 kt, which may have been due to the aircraft's descent rate or the pilot's decision to flare earlier than expected. Despite this, the touchdown distance was good at 102 meters, and the touchdown speed of 48 kt was also within acceptable limits.
The touchdown rate of -218 fpm was fair, suggesting that the aircraft may have touched down slightly harder than intended. Nevertheless, the runway touchdown alignment was perfect, indicating that the aircraft was aligned with the centerline of the runway at the moment of touchdown.
The local weather conditions at the time of landing were favorable, with a temperature of 19°C and a wind speed of 1 kt from 216°. This resulted in a negligible crosswind component and no headwind, making the landing conditions relatively straightforward.
The total landing distance of 653 meters was 71% of the runway length, which is a reasonable distance considering the aircraft's size and weight. However, the runway rollout alignment was slightly misaligned by 13.8 meters from the centerline, which may have been due to the pilot's decision to brake or the aircraft's response to the brakes.
Overall, the landing was successful, and the aircraft came to a stop within a reasonable distance from the runway threshold. While there were some minor deviations from the ideal landing parameters, the pilot's skills and the aircraft's performance were sufficient to ensure a safe and controlled landing.
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