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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 · 15 stages, 13 scored
Events
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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: seven checks where the approach path is 300 ft above the runway. The 1,000 ft gate was not assessed, because the approach did not join final that far out.
At the 300 ft gate: off the centreline.
The approach, gate by gate
Side view — the last 1,789 ft of the approach.
Plan view — the full 1,789 ft runway, to the same scale as the side view.
The 617 ft 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 33 at LFKX Méribel Altiport, a small airfield in the French Alps. The Cessna 172 aircraft accelerated down the 1,155-foot runway, reaching a liftoff speed of 73 knots. The takeoff distance covered 87% of the runway, indicating a smooth and efficient departure.
As the aircraft climbed away from the airfield, it encountered local weather conditions of 34°F temperature and a gentle 1-knot wind blowing from the north at 60 degrees. The crosswind component was minimal, with a headwind of zero knots. The enroute climb started overhead Meribel, a nearby town in the Auvergne-Rhone-Alpes region of France. The aircraft climbed from an initial altitude of 5,627 feet above sea level to 6,498 feet, an increase of 870 feet in just 1 minute, covering less than 1 nautical mile.
The enroute level cruise phase lasted for 2 minutes, during which the aircraft maintained a steady altitude of 6,498 feet and covered a distance of 2 nautical miles. The climb phase resumed overhead Courchevel, another nearby town in the Auvergne-Rhone-Alpes region. The aircraft climbed from 6,843 feet to 6,690 feet, an increase of 152 feet in 2 minutes, covering less than 1 nautical mile.
As the aircraft approached the destination airfield, LFLJ Courchevel Altiport, it began its final approach to runway 22 from the north-east. The aircraft was heading 224.0 degrees at 1 nautical mile from the runway and 197 feet above ground level. The landing was executed smoothly, with a touchdown speed of 54 knots and a touchdown rate of 1,007 feet per minute. The runway touchdown alignment was perfect, and the touchdown distance was 612 feet, which was good considering the runway length of 1,789 feet.
The local weather conditions at the time of landing were 31°F temperature and a gentle 1-knot wind blowing from the north-east at 7 degrees. The crosswind component was minimal, with a tailwind of 1 knot. The total landing distance was 1,277 feet, which was 71% of the runway length. The runway rollout alignment was very good, indicating a smooth and controlled descent. The total flight distance was 5 nautical miles, and the flight used 6 pounds of fuel.
The Cessna 172 aircraft successfully landed at LFLJ Courchevel Altiport, achieving a score of 99.5%. The final approach was conducted from the north-east, heading 224.0° at 1 nautical mile and 197 feet above ground level (agl). The aircraft maintained a steady course, positioning itself for a smooth landing on runway 22.
Upon touchdown, the aircraft demonstrated excellent control, with a threshold height that was well within acceptable limits. However, the threshold speed was slightly above the target, registering at 71 knots. This minor deviation did not significantly impact the overall performance of the landing.
The touchdown distance of 612 feet was satisfactory, and the touchdown speed of 54 knots was well within the desired range. The most impressive aspect of the landing was the touchdown rate, which was perfectly controlled at 1,007 feet per minute (fpm). This indicates that the pilot maintained a steady and controlled descent, minimizing the risk of a hard landing.
The runway touchdown alignment was also spot on, demonstrating the pilot's excellent control and precision. The local weather conditions, with a temperature of 31°F and a gentle wind of 1 knot at 7°, contributed to a relatively straightforward landing.
The total landing distance of 1,277 feet was 71% of the runway length, which is a reasonable distance considering the aircraft's size and the runway's length of 1,789 feet. The runway rollout alignment was also very good, indicating that the pilot maintained control and stability throughout the landing process.
Overall, the Cessna 172 aircraft performed an excellent landing at LFLJ Courchevel Altiport, with the pilot demonstrating exceptional control and precision throughout the approach and touchdown phases.
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