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KSMO
Santa Monica, United States
Runway 21
Elevation125 ft asl
Weight1,262 lbs
Fuel72 lbs
Wind225° · 3 kn

Flight Score

80.51 %
KSMO
Santa Monica, United States
Runway 21
Elevation125 ft asl
Weight1,258 lbs
Fuel68 lbs
Wind230° · 10 kn · 1 kn cross
9 Sep 2023 0:05 3 nm Kitfox Speedster 4 lbs
Departure Score
81.17 %
Enroute Score
86.67 %
Arrival Score
73.70 %

What went well

Touched down at -138 fpm — a soft arrival
Straight touchdown — 3.7 ft off the centreline, no bounce
1.12 G at touchdown — inside band

What held you back

Arrival Landing — Threshold speed at 52 kn was well below target, take care not to stall at 0 %, Landing and flare profile at 0 %, −5.02 points
Enroute Descent — stall warning; speed limits at 0 %, −4.44 points
Departure Climb 1 — speed limits at 0 %, −3.56 points

Next time

Keep the approach speed on target

See Arrival Landing

Every knot above Vref is stored kinetic energy, and energy stored at the threshold must be dissipated in ground effect before the aeroplane will stop flying. Because kinetic energy scales with the square of speed, the excess you must dissipate grows fast. At a 45-knot approach, five knots hot is over a tenth more speed and roughly a quarter more energy to get rid of in ground effect. This is why the fix is never in the flare. It was decided three miles earlier, on final, at the airspeed indicator.

Read more in VRef Explained

Start to finish · 12 stages, 11 in the score

The flight story

Departure One segment per stage, in flight order — colour is the score band. Drag the bar to move along the flight, or click a stage card to open its detail. Arrival
Departure Roll 76.22Departure roll runway 21 at KSMO Santa Monica Muni. Takeoff distance 0 ft 0 % of runway. Liftoff speed was 48 kn. Local weather - Temperature 75 °F. Wind 3 kn at 225 °. Crosswind: 0 kn Headwind: 3 kn.
ScoreDescriptionStartProfileEnd
100 % Takeoff distance 0 ft0 % of runway
0 % Liftoff speed was 48 knTarget 60 kn
81 % Runway alignment max 23.9 ft23.0 ft left to 0.9 ft right -0.9 23.0 ft
100 % Average g force 0.94 g0.93 g min to max 1.00 g 1.00 0.95 g
100 % Takeoff Bounce
Info Average pitch angle 9.3 °0.0 ° min to max 11.1 ° 0.0 9.5 °
Info Average bank angle 0.2 °0.0 ° min to max 0.4 ° 0.0 0.4 °

Events

Fail Landing Lights OFF should be ON
Info Parking Brake Off 4 ft agl · 3 kt
Info Parking Brake On 3 ft agl · 4 kt
Info Landing Gear Down 3 ft agl · 11 kt
Info Parking Brake Off 3 ft agl · 15 kt
Info Stall Warning Activated 3 ft agl · 42 kt
Departure Climb 1 57.25Departure climb to 50 ft agl from runway 21 KSMO Santa Monica Muni.
ScoreDescriptionStartProfileEnd
93 % Heading variation -1.5 °-1.6 ° min to max -1.3 ° -1.3 -1.6 °
0 % Average speed 57 kn49 kn min to max 62 kn 49 62 kn
96 % Average bank angle 1.6 °0.1 ° min to max 3.6 ° 0.4 0.6 °
100 % Average g force 1.03 g0.95 g min to max 1.11 g 0.95 0.99 g
Info Average VSI 639 ft/m363 ft/m min to max 821 ft/m 363 821 ft/m
Info Average altitude 16 ft agl0 ft agl min to max 43 ft agl 0 43 ft agl
Info Average pitch angle 13.2 °9.6 ° min to max 14.9 ° 9.6 14.8 °

Events

Info Stall Warning Deactivated 10 ft agl · 58 kt
Departure Climb 2 96.32Departure climb to 400 ft agl from 21 KSMO Santa Monica Muni.
ScoreDescriptionStartProfileEnd
98 % Heading variation -1.2 °-1.7 ° min to max 2.2 ° -1.6 2.2 °
100 % Average speed 68 kn62 kn min to max 88 kn 62 87 kn
87 % Average bank angle 2.6 °0.0 ° min to max 6.8 ° 0.2 2.6 °
100 % Average g force 0.97 g0.91 g min to max 1.09 g 0.98 1.07 g
Info Average VSI 987 ft/m856 ft/m min to max 1,782 ft/m 856 1,782 ft/m
Info Average altitude 113 ft agl49 ft agl min to max 386 ft agl 49 386 ft agl
Info Average pitch angle 13.3 °8.5 ° min to max 15.1 ° 14.8 15.1 °

Events

Fail Bounce during liftoff 205 ft agl · 80 kt
Departure Climb 3 94.87Departure climb to 1,000 ft agl from 21 KSMO Santa Monica Muni.
ScoreDescriptionStartProfileEnd
100 % Heading variation 3.1 °2.6 ° min to max 3.7 ° 2.6 3.7 °
100 % Average speed 83 kn80 kn min to max 85 kn 85 80 kn
74 % Average bank angle 9.8 °7.8 ° min to max 11.7 ° 7.8 11.7 °
100 % Average g force 0.98 g0.95 g min to max 1.03 g 1.03 0.95 g
100 % Landing gear up
Info Average VSI 2,050 ft/m1,945 ft/m min to max 2,102 ft/m 1,945 2,054 ft/m
Info Average altitude 487 ft agl418 ft agl min to max 555 ft agl 418 555 ft agl
Info Average pitch angle 17.5 °15.9 ° min to max 18.8 ° 15.9 18.8 °
Enroute Climb 100.00Enroute climb started overhead KSMO Santa Monica Muni Santa Monica (California, United States). Climbing from 715 ft asl to 1,806 ft asl, an increase of 1,090 ft in 1 minutes and covering less than 1 nm.
ScoreDescriptionStartProfileEnd
100 % Average speed 84 kn77 kn min to max 91 kn 80 84 kn
100 % Average bank angle 13.7 °0.1 ° min to max 34.0 ° 12.7 2.3 °
100 % Average g force 1.01 g0.90 g min to max 1.13 g 0.94 0.99 g
Info Average VSI 1,126 ft/m191 ft/m min to max 2,353 ft/m 1,984 199 ft/m
Info Average altitude 1,379 ft asl715 ft asl min to max 1,806 ft asl 715 1,806 ft asl
Info Average pitch angle 9.1 °2.3 ° min to max 18.5 ° 18.5 2.5 °
Info Turn coordination 00 min to max 0 0 0
Enroute Level 100.00Enroute level cruise started overhead KSMO Santa Monica Muni Santa Monica (California, United States) and lasted less than 1 minute. , covering less than 1 nm.
ScoreDescriptionStartProfileEnd
100 % Average altitude 1,794 ft asl1,765 ft asl min to max 1,818 ft asl 1,808 1,797 ft asl
100 % Average speed 85 kn82 kn min to max 87 kn 84 82 kn
100 % Average bank angle 1.1 °0.0 ° min to max 2.3 ° 2.2 0.0 °
100 % Average g force 0.99 g0.93 g min to max 1.04 g 0.99 0.93 g
Info Turn coordination 00 min to max 0 0 0
Info Average pitch angle 1.7 °0.1 ° min to max 3.1 ° 2.7 0.1 °
Enroute Descent 60.00Enroute descent started 1 mile south of Westwood (Los Angeles County, California, United States). Descent from 1,794 ft asl to 413 ft asl, a decrease of 1,380 ft in 2 minutes and covering less than 1 nm.
ScoreDescriptionStartProfileEnd
0 % Average speed 75 kn52 kn min to max 95 kn 82 52 kn
100 % Average bank angle 11.0 °0.0 ° min to max 32.5 ° 0.0 2.9 °
100 % Average g force 1.04 g0.92 g min to max 1.18 g 0.93 0.97 g
Info Average VSI -882 ft/m-2,038 ft/m min to max -119 ft/m -119 -290 ft/m
Info Average altitude 975 ft asl413 ft asl min to max 1,794 ft asl 1,794 413 ft asl
Info Average pitch angle -1.9 °-11.3 ° min to max 8.1 ° -0.8 6.7 °
Info Turn coordination 00 min to max 0 0 0

Events

Fail Stall Warning Activated 371 ft agl · 56 kt
Fail Stall Warning Activated 351 ft agl · 55 kt
Info Flaps Position 1 1,097 ft agl · 97 kt
Info Flaps Position 2 694 ft agl · 91 kt
Info Stall Warning Deactivated 306 ft agl · 55 kt
Arrival Final 1 62.10Approaching runway 21 at KSMO Santa Monica Muni from 1 nm to 0 nm. Descent from 277 ft agl to 74 ft agl. A decrease of 203 ft in 49 seconds.
ScoreDescriptionStartProfileEnd
25 % Approach angle 4.1 °3.2 ° min to max 5.2 °Target 3.5 ° 3.2 4.4 °
0 % Average speed 53 kn50 kn min to max 56 kn 52 52 kn
90 % Heading variation 0.1 °-0.2 ° min to max 0.5 ° 0.5 0.0 °
95 % Average bank angle 1.2 °0.0 ° min to max 4.9 ° 3.4 0.4 °
100 % Average g force 1.01 g0.93 g min to max 1.08 g 0.98 1.01 g
Info Average VSI -336 ft/m-579 ft/m min to max -85 ft/m -330 -348 ft/m
Info Average altitude 146 ft agl74 ft agl min to max 277 ft agl 277 74 ft agl
Info Average pitch angle 7.1 °3.0 ° min to max 8.8 ° 7.0 7.6 °

Events

Fail Stall Warning Activated 220 ft agl · 55 kt
Fail Stall Warning Activated 140 ft agl · 55 kt
Info Stall Warning Deactivated 229 ft agl · 55 kt
Info Stall Warning Deactivated 206 ft agl · 55 kt
Info Stall Warning Activated 210 ft agl · 55 kt
Info Stall Warning Deactivated 194 ft agl · 55 kt
00.250.50.751050100150200250300350Distance to Touchdown NMApproach Height ft00.250.50.751-110-83-55-280285583110Distance to Touchdown NMApproach Runway Alignment ft
Arrival Landing 39.80Landing on runway 21 at KSMO Santa Monica Muni, runway length 4,977 ft. Threshold height at 73 ft agl was well above target. Threshold speed at 52 kn was well below target, take care not to stall.
ScoreDescriptionStartProfileEnd
0 % Threshold speed at 52 kn was well below target, take care not to stall. Target 63 kn
0 % Landing and flare profile
100 % Heading variation 0.1 °0.0 ° min to max 0.1 ° 0.0 0.1 °
99 % Average bank angle 1.0 °0.0 ° min to max 2.2 ° 0.4 0.3 °
100 % Average g force 0.99 g0.95 g min to max 1.05 g 1.01 1.02 g
Info Average speed 52 kn48 kn min to max 54 kn 52 48 kn
Info Average VSI -182 ft/m-343 ft/m min to max -94 ft/m -343 -138 ft/m
Info Average altitude 34 ft agl0 ft agl min to max 73 ft agl 73 0 ft agl
Info Average pitch angle 8.2 °7.0 ° min to max 10.4 ° 7.6 10.4 °

Events

Info Stall Warning Deactivated 57 ft agl · 54 kt
Info Stall Warning Activated 54 ft agl · 54 kt
Info Stall Warning Deactivated 22 ft agl · 54 kt
Info Stall Warning Activated 20 ft agl · 54 kt
02505007501,0001,2501,5001,7502,0002,25001529445973Runway Distance ftLanding Height ft02505007501,0001,2501,5001,7502,0002,250-80-64-48-32-1601632486480Runway Distance ftRunway Width ft
Arrival Touchdown 95.47Touchdown point was 476 ft beyond the touchdown zone. Touchdown speed at 48 kn was good. Touchdown rate was smooth at -138 ft/m. Runway touchdown alignment was perfect. Local weather - Temperature 76 °F. Wind 10 kn at 230 °. Crosswind: 1 kn Headwind: 10 kn.
ScoreDescriptionStartProfileEnd
91 % Touchdown VSI was -138 ft/m.
86 % Touchdown distance was 1,934 ftTarget 1,500 ft
100 % Speed at touchdown 48 knTarget 55 kn
100 % Runway alignment max 3.8 ft3.7 ft left 3.8 3.7 ft
100 % Average bank angle 0.4 °0.0 ° min to max 0.7 ° 0.3 0.6 °
100 % Average g force 1.07 g1.02 g min to max 1.12 g 1.02 1.03 g
100 % Landing Bounce
Info Average speed 48 kn48 kn min to max 48 kn 48 48 kn
Info Average pitch angle 10.4 °10.1 ° min to max 10.8 ° 10.4 10.8 °
Arrival Rollout 97.41Total landing distance 2,315 ft, 47 % of runway. Runway rollout alignment was very good.
ScoreDescriptionStartProfileEnd
100 % Landing distance 2,315 ft47 % of runway.
94 % Runway alignment max 10.5 ft10.5 ft left to 0.0 ft left 3.7 10.5 ft
100 % Average g force 1.00 g0.98 g min to max 1.02 g 1.02 1.00 g
Info Average speed 38 kn32 kn min to max 40 kn 40 32 kn
Info Average pitch angle 10.8 °10.7 ° min to max 11.1 ° 10.8 11.1 °
Info Average bank angle 0.6 °0.0 ° min to max 1.1 ° 0.9 0.1 °

Events

Info Stall Warning Deactivated 3 ft agl · 41 kt
Runway Exit Exiting runway, average speed 13 kn
ScoreDescriptionStartProfileEnd
Info Average speed 11 kn10 kn min to max 30 kn 30 10 kn
Info Average pitch angle 11.2 °10.7 ° min to max 11.2 ° 11.0 11.2 °
Info Average bank angle 0.1 °0.0 ° min to max 0.4 ° 0.1 0.1 °
Info Average g force 0.98 g0.98 g min to max 1.03 g 1.01 0.98 g

Events

Info Engine 1 Stopped 3 ft agl · 10 kt

Speed and pitch

From brake release to the end of the climb, against time, then the takeoff point by point.

Lifted off at 47 kt with 9.6° of pitch.

How to read this

Two traces from brake release: the airspeed on top, and below it the pitch, which is how far the nose is above the horizon. The figure at liftoff is the pitch then. The shaded stretch is Climb 3, the part of the climb scored on holding the climb speed.

90 kt6030020°10°0°LIFTOFF9.6° off15° at 35 ftAIRSPEEDPITCH0102030 sfrom brake release
AirspeedPitchClimb 3

The takeoff, point by point

PointSpeedPitchTime
Brake release0 ft 20 kt 10.7° 0 s
Liftoff258 ft 47 kt 9.6° 5.1 s
35 ft617 ft · 4.5 s after liftoff 61 kt 14.8° 9.6 s
End of Climb 33,355 ft · 555 ft 80 kt 18.8° 33.7 s

Takeoff from KSMO 21

Takeoff roll100.00
1,034ft21 %
Liftoff speed0.00
47kt
Runway alignment81.11
23.0ft L
Bounce on takeoffOk
None
Rate of climb57.25
639fpm

Side view from the start of the roll to the end of Climb 3 at 555 ft.

Reached 35 ft with 3,569 ft of runway left; then climbing at 1,160 fpm on average to 555 ft.

How to read this

The takeoff from the side: the height above the runway against the distance along it. The numbers along the runway are the speeds reached at each point. Lifting off in the amber last quarter of the runway costs marks for the roll length. The shaded stretch is Climb 3, scored on its average speed against the target.

750 ft375 ft0CLIMB 3THRESHOLDRUNWAY END3040KNOTS ALONG THE ROLLLiftoff 47 kt
On the runwayClimbingLast quarter of the runwayClimb 3

Plan view the roll down the 4,977 ft runway.

Rolled from 791 ft in, drifted left of the centreline, 23 ft at the widest, and lifted off 24 ft left. Airborne 21 % of the way down the runway, before the 75 % line.

How to read this

The roll from above, with your left at the top. The line is where the wheels went, and "widest" is the furthest you drifted off the centreline. Lifting off before the amber 75 % line gets full marks for the roll length.

1,0002,0003,0004,000THRESHOLDLEFT ↑RIGHT ↓75 %widest 23.0 ft LROLL 791 FT INAirborne 1,049 ft from the threshold
Your trackRunway used in the rollCentreline75 %: lift off before it for full marks
Runway to liftoff 1,049 ft of 4,977 ft · 21 %
Behind the start of the roll, 791 ftTakeoff roll, 258 ft Left ahead, 3,928 ft

The approach to KSMO 21

The final from 4 nm.

Profile height against the 3.5° glideslope, with its 2° band in green.

Inside the glideslope band from 1.6 nm, where the final began, to the threshold, never more than 420 ft above the slope.

How to read this

Your height above the runway against the distance still to go. The glideslope is the steady descent path to the aiming point, 1,000 ft past the threshold: 3.5° here, which is about 370 ft for every nautical mile out, crossing the threshold at about 60 ft. The row under the distances is the height it puts you at. Inside the green band your path is drawn green; outside it, amber.

5001,0001,5002,0002,500 ft4 nm3 nm2 nm1 nmTHRON SLOPE1,5501,1808004303.5° GLIDESLOPE · 2° BAND970469231
GlideslopeAllowed bandYou, inside the bandYou, outside itYour height there

Plan distance off the extended centreline, your left at the top, with the 1° band. Sideways distances are drawn 3× larger than distances along the final.

Joined 830 ft left of the centreline at 1.6 nm, then inside the band from 0.6 nm to the threshold.

How to read this

Looking down from above, flying left to right towards the runway: up the page is left of the centreline, down is right. Sideways distances are stretched so that small drifts show, so a line that looks wild here may be only a few tens of feet. The labels are how far off you were at each distance, amber when outside the band.

4 nm3 nm2 nm1 nmTHR1000 ft L01000 ft RLEFT ↑RIGHT ↓1° BAND683 ft L222 ft L25 ft L
Extended centreline1° either sideYour trackOutside the band

Landing and touchdown on KSMO 21

Over the threshold

Threshold height59.42
73ft
Threshold speed0.00
52kt
Centreline offset100.00
0.1ft L

Touchdown

Past threshold85.34
1,940ft
Centreline100.00
3.8ft L
Speed100.00
48kt
Touchdown rate90.69
-138fpm
Impact100.00
1.12G
BouncesOk
None
The crosswind

3 kt across from the right, which takes about 4° of crab to hold the centreline at 48 kt. Touched down straight - the crab taken out before the wheels touched, wings level.

Wind 230° at 10 kt · 10 kt head · 3 kt across

How to read this

The wind is the one recorded at the landing, split along the runway (headwind or tailwind) and across it. To hold the centreline in a crosswind the nose points a little into wind - the crab - and is straightened with rudder just before the wheels touch, often with the into-wind wing lowered to stop the drift. These are the nose against the direction you were actually moving, and the wings, at the moment of touchdown. Shown for reading; not marked.

The stop

From 40 kt at touchdown to taxi speed (30 kt) in 8 s, an average deceleration of 0.07 g.

How to read this

Your ground speed from the moment the wheels touched until you were down to taxi speed, against the distance rolled. A steep line is hard braking, a shallow one a long, gentle roll. For scale, an airliner's lowest autobrake setting decelerates at about 0.15 g, a medium one about 0.3 g. Shown for reading; not marked.

020406030 kt · 435 fttouchdown452 ftkt
Your ground speed60 kt and taxi speed

Side view — the last 4,977 ft of the approach.

Crossed the threshold at 73 ft, 23 ft above the 50 ft target. Touched down 1,940 ft in, 940 ft past the ideal 1,000 ft.

How to read this

The last stretch of the approach and the touchdown, from the side. The height is stretched so that the last few feet show: 80 ft top to bottom, against 4,977 ft across. The dashed line is the ideal, 50 ft over the threshold and down 1,000 ft in. The flare ring is where you began raising the nose, and "descent slowed" is where the sink came off; the figures beside them are the sink rate, pitch and speed at that point.

73 ft over the threshold · target 50 ft FLARE NORMALLY STARTS 11–45 FT 80 ft400 −138 fpm · 10.4° nose up · 48 kt Ideal — 50 ft, down at 1,000 ft This flight — 73 ft, down at 1,940 ft

Sink and pitch — through the flare, lined up with the side view.

The sink went from 290 fpm at 73 ft to 140 fpm at touchdown. The nose came up 2.8° on the way down.

How to read this

Lined up with the side view above, so a point on one sits under the same point of the other. On top, how fast you were coming down: 0 is level, and −600 is 600 ft a minute down. Below, the pitch. In a flare the nose comes up and the descent slows towards 0. The figure at the touchdown line is your touchdown rate.

SINK RATE FPM · 0 IS LEVEL, LOWER IS COMING DOWN FASTERPITCH · HIGHER IS NOSE UP0−500−1,0000°6°11°touchdown−138 fpm at touchdown10.4° at touchdown
Sink ratePitchFlare began, descent slowedTouchdown

Plan view — the full 4,977 ft runway, to the same scale as the side view.

Touched down on the centreline, and stayed within 9 ft of it down the rollout.

How to read this

The runway from above, with your left at the top. Touching down inside the green bracket scores full marks for the distance. The shaded part is the rollout, up to where it ended. The arrow beside the runway is the crosswind, pointing the way the air was moving, so it pushed the aircraft that way.

1,0002,0003,0004,000 THRESHOLD LEFT ↑ RIGHT ↓ CROSS 3 kn FULL SCORE TO 1,650 FT 1,940 ft past threshold ROLLOUT ENDED
Your trackTouchdownRolloutCentreline

Touched down 1,940 ft past the threshold — beyond the full-score zone. The arrival was smooth.

Runway used 2,279 ft of 4,977 ft · 46 %
In the air over the runway, 1,940 ftRollout, 339 ft Left over, 2,698 ft
Rollout distance100.00
339ft46 % used
Rollout alignment94.25
10.5ft L

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