Events
Events
Events
MY FS FLIGHTS
Flight Score
Improve the pattern downwind leg
The 45-degrees-behind-the-wing cue assumes you can turn your head and use peripheral vision. Downwind spacing cues like "put the wingtip halfway up the strut" assume a fixed, known eyepoint. Neither survives a monitor unmodified. If you fly on a fixed monitor, stop pretending and fly a numbers-based circuit.
Read more in Pattern WorkStart to finish · 15 stages, 14 in the score
Events
Events
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: seven checks where the approach path is 300 ft above the runway. The 1,000 ft gate is an instrument-approach check and does not apply.
At the 300 ft gate: off the centreline.
The approach, gate by gate
Side view — the last 1,524 m of the approach.
Plan view — the first 1,524 m of the 1,814 m runway, to the same scale as the side view.
The 469 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 23 at EGPE Inverness Airport, where the aircraft, a GA-8 Airvan Commuter Cargopod, successfully took off after covering a distance of 191 meters, which accounted for 11% of the runway. The liftoff speed was recorded at 83 knots. At the time of takeoff, the local weather conditions were characterized by a temperature of 20 degrees Celsius and a gentle wind blowing at 3 knots from a direction of 220 degrees. This resulted in a negligible crosswind and a headwind of 3 knots.
As the aircraft entered the left-hand pattern, it covered a distance of less than 1 nautical mile in just 18 seconds. The subsequent left-hand pattern crosswind leg was completed in 22 seconds, with the aircraft covering a distance of less than 1 nautical mile. The pattern downwind turn was executed at an angle of 70.6 degrees to the runway, covering a distance of 1 nautical mile. The downwind leg itself was 2 nautical miles long and took 68 seconds to complete.
The pattern base leg turn was made at an angle of 55.1 degrees to the runway, covering a distance of 1 nautical mile. The base leg itself was less than 1 nautical mile long and took 28 seconds to complete. The final turn was also less than 1 nautical mile long and took 30 seconds to complete. The aircraft then began its final approach to runway 23 from the north-east, heading 230 degrees at an altitude of 206 feet above ground level.
The landing was executed successfully, with the aircraft touching down on the runway at a speed of 62 knots. The touchdown distance was good, covering a distance of 468 meters. The touchdown rate was perfect, with a rate of -25 feet per minute. The runway touchdown alignment was also perfect. The local weather conditions remained the same, with a temperature of 20 degrees Celsius and a wind blowing at 3 knots from a direction of 220 degrees.
The total landing distance was 798 meters, which accounted for 44% of the runway. However, the runway rollout alignment was slightly misaligned, deviating from the centerline by 10.4 meters. The total flight distance was 5 nautical miles, which was completed in 4 minutes. The aircraft used a total of 76 kilograms of fuel during the flight.
The GA-8 Airvan Commuter Cargopod successfully landed at EGPE Inverness Airport, achieving a high score of 94.5%. The aircraft approached the runway from the north east, heading 230.0° at an altitude of 206 feet above ground level (agl) and 0 nautical miles from the runway. This indicates a precise and controlled approach, setting the stage for a smooth landing.
Upon touchdown, the aircraft performed well, with a touchdown speed of 62 knots and a touchdown rate of -25 feet per minute (fpm). This is considered perfect, as it indicates a gentle and controlled descent onto the runway. The touchdown distance of 468 meters was also good, demonstrating the pilot's ability to manage the aircraft's speed and altitude during the final stages of the approach.
The local weather conditions at the time of the landing were favorable, with a temperature of 20°C and a gentle headwind of 3 knots from 220°. This minimal wind effect likely contributed to the smooth landing, as the aircraft was able to maintain its alignment and speed during the approach.
However, the aircraft did experience a slight deviation from the centerline during the rollout, with a misalignment of 10.4 meters. While this is not a significant issue, it does indicate that the pilot may have needed to make some adjustments to maintain the aircraft's alignment during the rollout phase.
Overall, the landing was a success, with the aircraft performing well in terms of speed, altitude, and alignment. The pilot's skills and experience were evident in the precise and controlled approach, and the aircraft's performance was consistent with its design and capabilities.
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