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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 · 17 stages, 15 scored
Events
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Events
The threshold, the flare and the hold-off. The approach that led to it is the stabilisation gates below.
One stabilised approach gate for a circuit: five checks where the approach path is 500 ft above the runway. The 1,000 ft gate is an instrument-approach check and does not apply.
Side view — the last 1,157 m of the approach.
Plan view — the full 1,157 m runway, to the same scale as the side view.
The 81 m touchdown sits inside the full-score zone. The arrival was smooth.
The rest of the report
The flight began with the aircraft, a Cessna Skyhawk, taxiing from the parking area to the runway at Donegal Airport, EIDL. This process took approximately 3 minutes and covered a distance of less than 1 nautical mile. The aircraft then proceeded to depart from runway 03, with a takeoff distance of 360 meters, which accounted for 31% of the runway's length. The liftoff speed was achieved at 50 knots.
The local weather conditions at the time of takeoff were characterized by a temperature of 15 degrees Celsius and a wind speed of 2 knots from a direction of 269 degrees. This resulted in a crosswind of 2 knots and a tailwind of 1 knot. Following the departure, the aircraft entered a left-hand pattern from runway 03, covering a distance of less than 1 nautical mile in just 10 seconds.
The left-hand pattern continued with a crosswind turn, which took approximately 42 seconds to complete and covered a distance of less than 1 nautical mile. The aircraft then proceeded to the downwind leg, where it turned at an angle of 80.8 degrees to the runway. This turn covered a distance of 1 nautical mile and took approximately 60 seconds to complete.
The downwind leg itself covered a distance of 2 nautical miles in 60 seconds. The aircraft then turned onto the base leg, where it turned at an angle of 43.1 degrees to the runway. This turn covered a distance of 2 nautical miles and took approximately 29 seconds to complete. The base leg itself covered a distance of less than 1 nautical mile in 29 seconds.
The final turn, which brought the aircraft onto the final approach to runway 03, covered a distance of less than 1 nautical mile in 27 seconds. The aircraft was approaching the runway from the south, at a heading of 18.0 degrees, and at an altitude of 345 feet above ground level (agl). The final approach was made at a distance of 1 nautical mile from the runway.
The landing on runway 03 was successful, with the aircraft touching down at a speed of 44 knots. The touchdown distance was good, at 78 meters, and the touchdown rate was excellent, at -96 feet per minute (fpm). However, the runway touchdown position was slightly misaligned, being 3.5 meters off the centerline. The total landing distance was 246 meters, which accounted for 21% of the runway's length.
The runway rollout alignment was very good, indicating a smooth and controlled descent. The total flight distance was 7 nautical miles, and the flight used approximately 2 kilograms of fuel.
The Cessna Skyhawk successfully landed at Donegal Airport, achieving a score of 98.7%. The aircraft approached the runway from the south, heading 18.0° at 1 nautical mile and 345 feet above ground level (agl). The pilot executed a precise final approach, aligning with the runway threshold and maintaining a steady descent.
Upon touchdown, the aircraft landed on runway 03, which has a length of 1,157 meters. The threshold height was satisfactory, and the threshold speed was slightly below the target at 48 knots. The touchdown distance was good, measuring 78 meters, and the touchdown speed was also within acceptable limits at 44 knots. The most impressive aspect of the landing was the touchdown rate, which was excellent at -96 feet per minute (fpm).
However, there was a slight deviation in the runway touchdown position, with the aircraft landing 3.5 meters off-centerline. This minor misalignment did not significantly impact the overall performance of the landing. The local weather conditions at the time of the landing were favorable, with a temperature of 15°C and a gentle wind of 2 knots at 269°. The crosswind component was minimal at 2 knots, and the tailwind component was even weaker at 1 knot.
The total landing distance was 246 meters, which accounted for only 21% of the runway length. This indicates that the pilot had sufficient control over the aircraft during the landing phase, allowing for a smooth and efficient rollout. The runway rollout alignment was also very good, demonstrating the pilot's ability to maintain control and stability during the critical phase of the landing. Overall, the Cessna Skyhawk's landing at Donegal Airport was a success, with the pilot executing a precise and controlled approach and touchdown.
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