Events
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 · 16 stages, 14 scored
Events
Events
Events
Events
One stabilised approach gate for a circuit: six checks at the point nearest 500 ft above the runway after the base turn. The 1,000 ft gate is an instrument-approach check and does not apply.
The approach, gate by gate
Side view — the last 1,524 m of the approach.
Plan view — the first 1,524 m of the 1,786 m runway, to the same scale as the side view.
The 109 m touchdown sits inside the full-score zone. The arrival was smooth.
The rest of the report
Departing from Cotswold Airport (EGBP), the DA40-NG aircraft initiated its takeoff roll on runway 26, covering a distance of 433 meters, which accounted for 27% of the available runway length. The aircraft lifted off at a speed of 67 knots, meeting the expected performance criteria. Local weather conditions at the time of departure featured a temperature of 16°C, with a negligible wind of 1 knot from a direction of 270°.
As the aircraft entered the left-hand traffic pattern, it demonstrated a swift and efficient turn, completing the maneuver in less than 1 nautical mile in 18 seconds. The subsequent crosswind turn was similarly executed, with a distance of less than 1 nautical mile covered in 23 seconds. The pilot then proceeded to configure the aircraft for a standard traffic pattern, executing a downwind turn at an angle of 81.6° to the runway, followed by a downwind leg of 2 nautical miles in 57 seconds. The base leg turn was completed at an angle of 44.5°, and the final approach was initiated from the east, heading 260.0° at an altitude of 175 feet above ground level.
The DA40-NG aircraft touched down on runway 26 at Cotswold Airport, covering a distance of 109 meters, which was 18% of the available runway length. The touchdown speed of 61 knots was within the expected range, and the touchdown rate of -8 feet per minute was perfect. The runway touchdown alignment was also spot on, and the subsequent rollout was executed with precision, maintaining perfect alignment. The total landing distance of 288 meters was a testament to the aircraft's efficient performance, and the pilot's skillful handling of the aircraft. The flight itself covered a total distance of 6 nautical miles, consuming no fuel in the process, and was completed in 5 minutes.
The aircraft touched down smoothly on runway 26 at EGBP Cotswold Airport, with a threshold height that was well within acceptable limits. The approach quality was excellent, with a threshold speed of 69 kt that was precisely maintained. As the aircraft made contact with the runway, it did so at a speed of 61 kt, which was well within the desired range. The touchdown distance of 109 m was also good, and the touchdown rate of -8 fpm was perfect, indicating a controlled and stable descent.
The aircraft's centreline alignment was perfect, both at touchdown and during the rollout phase. The runway rollout alignment was also flawless, with the aircraft tracking the centreline precisely as it slowed to a stop. The total landing distance of 288 m was a mere 18% of the runway length, demonstrating excellent control and precision throughout the landing. The local weather conditions, with a temperature of 15 °C and a gentle headwind of 1 kt, did not pose any significant challenges to the landing.
Overall, the landing was a textbook example of precision and control, with a score of 100.0%. The pilot's skill and experience were evident throughout the approach, touchdown, and rollout phases, and the aircraft performed flawlessly in response to their inputs. The landing was a credit to the pilot's training and expertise, and a testament to the aircraft's capabilities.
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