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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 · 29 stages, 27 scored
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The threshold, the flare and the hold-off. The approach that led to it is the stabilisation gates below.
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 5,000 ft of the approach.
Plan view — the first 5,000 ft of the 6,233 ft runway, to the same scale as the side view.
The 1,497 ft 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 a distance of 1 nautical mile. The aircraft, a TBM 930, then departed from runway 18 at Colonel James Jabara Airport (KAAO) in Wichita, Kansas. The takeoff distance was 1,261 feet, which accounted for 21% of the runway. The liftoff speed was 104 knots.
The local weather conditions at the time of departure were characterized by a temperature of 94°F and a wind speed of 33 knots from a direction of 189°. This resulted in a 2-knot crosswind and a 33-knot headwind.
The enroute climb started shortly after departure, as the aircraft ascended from 2,370 feet above sea level to 14,136 feet above sea level, an increase of 11,766 feet in 7 minutes and covering a distance of 20 nautical miles. This climb phase was followed by a series of enroute descents and climbs, with the aircraft descending from 14,137 feet to 13,190 feet in 2 minutes and covering 4 nautical miles, and then climbing from 13,183 feet to 14,152 feet in 2 minutes and covering 1 nautical mile.
The enroute level cruise phases were relatively short, lasting 2 minutes and covering 5 nautical miles, and 10 minutes and covering 26 nautical miles. The final enroute descent started 10 miles northwest of SN58 Foster Field El Dorado, with the aircraft descending from 14,122 feet to 13,579 feet in 2 minutes and covering 3 nautical miles.
The final approach to runway 19 at Charles B. Wheeler Downtown Airport (KMKC) was made from the north, with the aircraft heading 193.0° at 4 nautical miles and 1,329 feet above ground level. The landing was made on a runway length of 6,233 feet, with the threshold height at 59 feet above ground level being slightly above target. The threshold speed was too high at 80 knots, but the touchdown distance was good at 1,493 feet.
The touchdown speed was too fast at 83 knots, but the touchdown rate was smooth at -103 feet per minute. The runway touchdown position was slightly misaligned by 24 feet from the centreline. The local weather conditions at the time of landing were characterized by a temperature of 91°F and a wind speed of 14 knots from a direction of 190°, resulting in a 1-knot crosswind and a 14-knot headwind.
The total landing distance was 2,079 feet, which accounted for 33% of the runway. The runway rollout alignment was slightly misaligned by 36 feet from the centreline. The taxiing period from the runway to the parking took 2 minutes and covered a distance of less than 1 nautical mile.
The total flight distance was 168 nautical miles, taking 64 minutes and using 333 pounds of fuel.
The TBM 930 aircraft successfully landed at the Charles B. Wheeler Downtown Airport (KMKC) on runway 19, but with some minor deviations from the ideal approach. The final approach was initiated from the north, heading 193.0° at a distance of 4 nautical miles and an altitude of 1,329 feet above ground level (agl). The aircraft's performance during the landing was evaluated, and it scored 89.0%.
The threshold height at 59 feet agl was slightly above the target, indicating that the aircraft touched down slightly higher than intended. Additionally, the threshold speed was too high at 80 knots, suggesting that the pilot may have been able to reduce the speed further before touchdown. The touchdown distance of 1,493 feet was considered good, but the touchdown speed of 83 knots was too fast, which may have resulted in a slightly longer rollout.
The touchdown rate was smooth at -103 feet per minute (fpm), indicating that the aircraft touched down with minimal impact. However, the runway touchdown position was slightly misaligned by 24 feet from the centreline, which may have affected the aircraft's rollout. The local weather conditions at the time of landing were characterized by a temperature of 91°F and a wind speed of 14 knots from 190°. The crosswind component was minimal at 1 knot, while the headwind component was 14 knots, which may have contributed to the slightly high threshold speed.
The total landing distance of 2,079 feet was 33% of the runway length, indicating that the aircraft was able to stop within a reasonable distance. However, the runway rollout alignment was slightly misaligned by 36 feet from the centreline, which may have resulted from the initial touchdown position being off-centre. Overall, the landing was considered successful, but with some minor areas for improvement.
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