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MY FS FLIGHTS
Flight Score
Avoid steep turns at low altitude
Below a thousand feet the aeroplane is slow, heavy and close to the ground. A steep turn loses lift, raises the stall speed and flattens the climb just when the gradient matters most. A normal turn on course is a rate one — fifteen degrees or so, twenty-five at the outside, this penalty is to acknowledge when a turn has stopped being a turn and become a manoeuvre.
Read more in Improve Your Take-OffsStart to finish · 18 stages, 16 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 1,524 m of the approach.
Plan view — the first 1,524 m of the 2,739 m runway, to the same scale as the side view.
The 471 m touchdown sits inside the full-score zone. The arrival was smooth.
The rest of the report
The flight, operated by a Beechcraft Duke, began with a departure roll on runway 02 at LDLO Lošinj Airport. The aircraft lifted off at a speed of 94 kt, covering 592 meters or 66% of the runway length. The local weather at the start of the flight consisted of a temperature of 27 degrees Celsius and a moderate crosswind of 7 kt from the north.
As the plane climbed out of the airport, it began its ascent at an altitude of 689 ft above sea level (asl) and gained approximately 11,000 ft in elevation over an area of about 8 minutes to reach a maximum altitude of 11,688 ft asl. This initial climb phase started roughly 1 mile north of the airport. The Beechcraft Duke later transitioned to an enroute level cruise, maintaining its altitude and flying for about 25 minutes to cover a distance of approximately 92 nm. This phase began about 3 miles south of the island of Cres in Croatia.
The enroute descent started above Skale, a town in Slovenia, as the plane decreased its altitude from 12,303 ft asl to 3,514 ft asl, losing approximately 8,800 ft in elevation over about 10 minutes, covering a distance of 30 nm. Following the descent, the aircraft flew a short level cruise, lasting only 3 minutes, to maintain a safe altitude and speed before continuing its approach to the destination airport.
The final approach was conducted towards runway 34C at LOWG Graz Airport, flying from the south at a bearing of 350° and at an altitude of 1,249 ft above ground level (agl) when 4 nm away from the runway. The aircraft then landed on runway 34C, with the local weather at the time consisting of a temperature of 21 degrees Celsius and a gentle crosswind of 1 kt with a favorable headwind of 3 kt.
The Beechcraft Duke touched down on the runway at a speed of 90 kt with an excellent touchdown rate of -60 fpm, landing approximately 234 meters beyond the designated touchdown zone. The plane then came to a stop with a total landing distance of 1,505 meters, or 55% of the runway length, maintaining an excellent alignment with the runway centerline throughout the descent and rollout phases.
The taxiing to the parking from the runway took around 2 minutes, covering less than 1 nm. The total flight distance was approximately 153 nm, and the flight lasted about 56 minutes, consuming 102 kg of fuel.
This comprehensive report concerns the successful landing of a Beechcraft Duke aircraft at LOWG Graz Airport, Austria. Throughout the final approach, the aircraft demonstrated impressive control, maintaining a steady course while navigating through the specified heading of 350.0 ° from a distance of 4 nautical miles and an altitude of 1,249 feet above ground level.
Upon reaching the designated runway, 34C at LOWG, the aircraft's approach was deemed satisfactory as it adhered to the required threshold height and speed, touching down at 96 knots. This precise control allowed the aircraft to land safely, marking the beginning of the rollout phase. In terms of touchdown speed, the aircraft performed admirably, slowing down gradually to reach a speed of 90 knots at the point of touchdown.
However, there are a couple of minor discrepancies that could be addressed for future flights. Firstly, the touchdown point was recorded as being 234 meters beyond the designated touchdown zone, implying a slight deviation from the target landing site. Furthermore, the runway touchdown position revealed a minor misalignment of 4.2 meters from the centerline.
Fortunately, despite these minor deviations, the aircraft displayed exceptional control during the rollout phase, maintaining perfect runway alignment. The landing distance, at 1,505 meters or 55% of the total runway length, was found to be well within safe parameters.
Weather conditions at the time of the landing also played a crucial role. With a temperature of 21 °C, the aircraft's performance was optimal. A relatively calm wind speed of 3 kt at 10 °, which comprised a moderate 1 kt crosswind and 3 kt headwind, further minimized any challenges the pilot may have encountered. Ultimately, this successful landing underscores the capabilities of the Beechcraft Duke aircraft as well as the skills of the piloting team involved.
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