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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 · 20 stages, 18 scored
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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.
The approach, gate by gate
Side view — the last 1,565 m of the approach.
Plan view — the first 1,565 m of the 3,050 m runway, to the same scale as the side view.
The 335 m touchdown sits inside the full-score zone. The arrival was smooth.
The rest of the report
The flight began with a taxiing period from the parking to the runway, which took 5 minutes and covered less than 1 nautical mile. The aircraft, an A321-253NX, then departed from runway 28R at Dublin Airport (EIDW), with a takeoff distance of 1,829 meters, which was 59% of the runway length. The liftoff speed was 172 knots.
As the aircraft climbed out of Dublin Airport, it began its enroute climb 1 mile northwest of the airport, rising from 1,181 feet above sea level to 33,992 feet above sea level, an increase of 32,810 feet in 24 minutes, covering a distance of 148 nautical miles. The local weather at the time was a temperature of 17 degrees Celsius.
The aircraft then entered a level cruise phase, starting 29 miles north of Derrybeg, Ireland, and lasting 2 minutes, covering 12 nautical miles. However, this was short-lived, as the aircraft began another climb phase 42 miles north of Derrybeg, rising from 34,192 feet to 35,439 feet above sea level, an increase of 1,247 feet in 2 minutes, covering 12 nautical miles.
The aircraft then entered another level cruise phase, starting 55 miles northwest of Derrybeg, and lasting 68 minutes, covering 503 nautical miles. This was the longest period of level flight during the journey.
As the aircraft approached its destination, it began its descent phase, starting 58 miles south of Vik i Myrdal, Iceland. The descent from 35,992 feet above sea level to 1,484 feet above sea level, a decrease of 34,509 feet in 23 minutes, covering 125 nautical miles.
The final approach to runway 28 at Keflavik International Airport (BIKF) was made from the east, heading 270.0 degrees, at 4 nautical miles and 1,330 feet above ground level. The landing was successful, with a touchdown distance of 334 meters, which was good, and a touchdown speed of 135 knots, which was also good. The touchdown rate was firm at -367 feet per minute, and the runway touchdown alignment was very good.
The local weather at the time of landing was a temperature of 9 degrees Celsius. The total landing distance was 1,481 meters, which was 49% of the runway length. The runway rollout alignment was also very good.
After landing, the aircraft taxied to the parking area, which took 4 minutes and covered less than 1 nautical mile. The total flight distance was 807 nautical miles, taking 129 minutes, and the aircraft used 5,172 kilograms of fuel during the journey.
The aircraft in question, an A321-253NX, successfully landed at Keflavik International Airport (BIKF) on runway 28. The final approach was initiated from the east, heading 270.0° at a distance of 4 nautical miles and an altitude of 1,330 feet above ground level (agl). The aircraft demonstrated a high level of proficiency in its approach, with a score of 98.1%.
Upon landing, the aircraft touched down on the runway with a speed of 141 knots, which was within the acceptable threshold speed range. The touchdown distance of 334 meters was also satisfactory, indicating a smooth and controlled descent. The touchdown speed of 135 knots was within the desired range, and the touchdown rate of -367 feet per minute (fpm) was firm but not excessive.
The runway touchdown alignment was very good, suggesting that the aircraft was properly aligned with the runway centerline at the moment of touchdown. This is a critical aspect of safe landing operations, as it helps to prevent the aircraft from veering off the runway or experiencing uneven wear on the landing gear.
The local weather conditions at the time of the landing were characterized by a temperature of 9°C, which is relatively cool but not extreme. This suggests that the aircraft's performance was not significantly affected by the weather.
The total landing distance of 1,481 meters was 49% of the runway length, which is a relatively short distance considering the aircraft's size and weight. This indicates that the aircraft was able to land smoothly and efficiently, with minimal use of the runway. The runway rollout alignment was also very good, suggesting that the aircraft was properly aligned with the runway centerline during the rollout phase.
Overall, the landing of the A321-253NX at Keflavik International Airport was a success, with the aircraft demonstrating a high level of proficiency and control throughout the approach and landing phases.
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