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MY FS FLIGHTS
Flight Score
Shorten the long landing
Ground effect becomes significant below about one wingspan of height. A Cessna 172, with a 36 ft span, enters ground effect at flare height - the float it feels in the hold-off is ground effect arriving on cue. An A320, with a span around 117 ft, has been in ground effect since before the threshold and there is no sudden cushion to feel, only a gradual reduction in induced drag that lengthens any float you allow.
Read more in Flare TimingStart to finish · 17 stages, 15 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 1,156 m of the approach.
Plan view — the full 1,156 m runway, to the same scale as the side view.
The 239 m touchdown sits inside the full-score zone. The arrival was smooth.
The rest of the report
The aircraft in question, a Piper PA-24-250 Comanche, took off from runway 27 at EGHL Lasham Airfield, utilizing only 21% of the available runway with a takeoff distance of 351 meters. The liftoff speed was 65 knots. At the time of departure, the local weather conditions consisted of a temperature of 21 degrees Celsius and a moderate wind of 13 knots at a bearing of 120 degrees, which resulted in a slight tailwind effect of 11 knots.
Following the departure from Lasham Airfield, the aircraft began its enroute climb about a mile north of Bentworth in Hampshire, England. The plane ascended from an initial altitude of 1,275 feet above sea level to 3,927 feet, an impressive increase of 2,651 feet, which was achieved in just 3 minutes and covered a distance of 4 nautical miles. Subsequently, the aircraft entered a level cruise phase as it flew overhead Alton in Hampshire, lasting for 10 minutes and covering 20 nautical miles.
However, the climb phase resumed as the aircraft flew overhead Chichester in West Sussex, England. During this climb, the aircraft ascended from an altitude of 4,109 feet to 4,735 feet above sea level, an increase of 626 feet, which was attained in a mere 2 minutes and covered a distance of 4 nautical miles. The subsequent descent phase began about a mile south of Funtington in West Sussex, where the aircraft descended from 4,733 feet to 977 feet above sea level, a significant decrease of 3,756 feet, which occurred in 4 minutes and covered 9 nautical miles.
Upon reaching the vicinity of EGHF Solent Airport, the aircraft initiated its final approach to runway 23 from the northeast, following a heading of 150 degrees at an altitude of 4 nautical miles and 945 feet above ground level. In a sudden turn of events, a Go-Around was executed from an altitude of 954 feet above ground level. After re-initiating the descent, the aircraft successfully landed on runway 23, with a length of 1,156 meters. The local weather conditions at the time of landing were characterized by a moderate temperature of 22 degrees Celsius and a relatively light wind of 10 knots at a bearing of 130 degrees, with a minimal crosswind effect of 1 knot.
Notably, the threshold speed during the landing was slightly below the target of 64 kt at 63 kt. The touchdown speed at 46 kt was satisfactory, and the touchdown rate of -120 fpm was smooth. However, the touchdown position deviated by 9.2 meters from the centerline, while the runway touchdown distance was 236 meters. The aircraft subsequently utilized 541 meters of runway, which accounted for 47% of the available runway length. Upon landing, the runway rollout was slightly misaligned from the centerline by 8.2 meters.
Following the successful landing, the aircraft taxied to the parking area from the runway, completing the journey in just 1 minute and covering less than 1 nautical mile. Ultimately, the total flight duration was 28 minutes, with a total distance of 42 nautical miles and a fuel consumption of 21 kg.
The flight was executed with relative precision, considering the challenging weather conditions and varying wind factors encountered throughout the flight.
The aircraft, a Piper PA-24-250 Comanche, successfully landed on runway 23 at EGHF Solent Airport. The final approach from the north east, heading 150.0°, demonstrated a satisfactory performance. The aircraft maintained an acceptable altitude of 945 ft above ground level (AGL) at a distance of 4 nautical miles from the runway.
Upon landing, the threshold speed was recorded at 64 kt, which was slightly below the target. Despite this, the touchdown distance measured 236 m, indicating a good landing. The touchdown speed of 46 kt was also within acceptable limits, signifying a gentle and controlled descent. The touchdown rate of -120 fpm was smooth, confirming a safe and stable arrival on the runway.
However, minor issues arose during the landing. The runway touchdown position was off-centreline by 9.2 m, indicating a slight misalignment. Nevertheless, this did not compromise the overall safety and performance of the landing. Local weather conditions played a role in the landing, with a temperature of 22°C and wind speed of 10 kt at 130° contributing to a moderate crosswind. Given these conditions, the aircraft handled the crosswind effectively.
The total landing distance covered 541 m, which corresponded to 47% of the runway's 1,156 m length, demonstrating a controlled and effective landing. Runway rollout alignment posed another minor issue, with the aircraft deviating 8.2 m from centreline. Despite this, the landing was deemed overall satisfactory, showcasing the pilot's ability to navigate various weather conditions and handle the aircraft with precision.
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