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MY FS FLIGHTS
Flight Score
Arrival
Close the throttles earlier on final so you cross the threshold at 135 kt rather than carrying excess speed.
What happened: The aircraft crossed the threshold at 141 kt, 6 kt above the 135 kt target, and the nose was then only raised 2.3° in the flare, taking out little of the sink. Crossing the threshold fast like this usually carries extra energy into a flare that barely arrests the sink, and that combination usually ends in a firm touchdown.
Watch for: Airspeed indicator: 135 kt at the threshold.
Fast at the threshold, normal flare, and the runway seems to refuse the aircraft. The instinctive fix - pushing it on - causes the next one. A fast aircraft forced onto the runway touches nosewheel-first or nearly so. The tell is a touchdown that feels soft followed by a bounce that steepens. Pilots fix the bounce recovery; the cause was the 10 knots at the threshold.
Read more in VRef ExplainedStart to finish · 14 stages, 13 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. They are the approach's score: the checks passed out of the checks that ran.
The approach, gate by gate
Side view — the last 5,000 ft of the approach.
Plan view — the first 5,000 ft of the 6,185 ft runway, to the same scale as the side view.
The 1,028 ft touchdown sits inside the full-score zone. The arrival was smooth.
The rest of the report
The Airbus A320 taxied from the parking area to runway 05R at NZAA Auckland International Airport, a movement that lasted 11 minutes and covered 2 nm.
During the departure roll on runway 05R, the aircraft used 6,358 ft of runway, representing 59 % of the available length, and lifted off at 165 kt; ambient temperature was 47 °F with a wind of 5 kt from 160°, a cross-wind component of 5 kt and a head-wind component of 0 kt.
Climb commenced 1 mile east of NZAA, with the airplane ascending from 1,034 ft asl to 38,010 ft asl, a gain of 36,976 ft achieved in 20 minutes while covering 122 nm.
Cruise began 23 miles north of New Plymouth (Taranaki, New Zealand) and continued for 51 minutes, during which the flight covered 353 nm at level altitude.
Descent was initiated 6 miles east of NZTU Timaru Airport, with the aircraft descending from 38,029 ft asl to 1,324 ft asl, a loss of 36,705 ft in 23 minutes over a distance of 109 nm.
The final approach to runway 21 at NZDN Dunedin International Airport was flown from the north-east, on a heading of 236.0° at 4 nm and 1,309 ft agl.
Landing on runway 21 was executed with a threshold speed slightly above target at 141 kt; touchdown occurred 1,031 ft down the runway at 135 kt, with a firm touchdown rate of minus 371 fpm and perfect alignment, while local weather reported a temperature of 48 °F, wind 10 kt from 230°, a cross-wind of 1 kt and a head-wind of 10 kt.
The rollout covered a total landing distance of 3,197 ft, representing 52 % of the runway, and the aircraft maintained perfect alignment throughout the deceleration phase.
After exiting the runway, the aircraft taxied to the parking area in 1 minutes, covering less than 1 nm.
In summary, the flight covered 593 nm, required 110 minutes of airborne time, and consumed 8,978 lbs of fuel.
The Airbus A320 established a stabilized final approach to runway 21 at NZDN Dunedin International Airport from the north-east, tracking a heading of 236.0° at 4 nm and 1,309 ft agl. Local conditions were 48 °F with a wind of 10 kt from 230°, giving a 1 kt crosswind component and a 10 kt headwind.
At threshold the aircraft maintained a speed of 141 kt, which was slightly above target, and the threshold height was good. The flare was executed in line with the approach parameters.
Touchdown occurred 1,031 ft down the runway at a speed of 135 kt, described as a little fast, with a firm touchdown rate of minus 371 fpm. Runway touchdown alignment was perfect.
The rollout covered a total landing distance of 3,197 ft, representing 52 % of the 6,185 ft runway, and rollout alignment was perfect.
Reduce the final approach speed marginally to meet the target, which will also lower the touchdown speed and help achieve a smoother touchdown. Refine flare timing to moderate the firm minus 371 fpm rate and further improve the landing quality.
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