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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 · 20 stages, 18 scored
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The threshold, the flare and the hold-off. The approach that led to it is the stabilisation gates below.
Two stabilised approach gates, each with seven checks, where the approach path is 1,000 ft and 500 ft above the runway.
The approach, gate by gate
Side view — the last 1,524 m of the approach.
Plan view — the first 1,524 m of the 2,895 m runway, to the same scale as the side view.
The 421 m touchdown sits inside the full-score zone. The arrival was smooth.
The rest of the report
The flight began with a taxiing period from the parking to the runway, which took 5 minutes and covered less than 1 nautical mile. The aircraft, an Airbus A321, then departed from runway 33 at EDDH Hamburg Helmut Schmidt Airport. The takeoff distance was 1,224 meters, which is 38% of the runway length. The liftoff speed was 162 knots.
The local weather conditions at the time of departure were a temperature of 16°C, with a wind speed of 13 knots at 290°. The crosswind component was 9 knots, while the headwind component was also 9 knots. The aircraft then began its enroute climb, starting 1 mile southwest of Langenhorn, Germany. The climb took 22 minutes and covered 149 nautical miles, with the aircraft ascending from 1,061 feet above sea level to 36,280 feet above sea level, an increase of 35,219 feet.
Following the enroute climb, the aircraft entered a level cruise, starting 10 miles south of Smygehamn, Sweden. This cruise phase lasted 25 minutes and covered 210 nautical miles. The aircraft then began its enroute descent, starting 51 miles southeast of Burgsvik, Sweden. The descent took 13 minutes and covered 100 nautical miles, with the aircraft descending from 36,115 feet above sea level to 10,544 feet above sea level, a decrease of 25,571 feet.
The aircraft then entered another level cruise, starting 9 miles southeast of Kuldiga, Latvia. This cruise phase lasted only 3 minutes and covered 23 nautical miles. The aircraft then began its final descent, starting 5 miles southeast of Kandava, Latvia. The descent took 11 minutes and covered 35 nautical miles, with the aircraft descending from 10,458 feet above sea level to 1,321 feet above sea level, a decrease of 9,136 feet.
The final approach to runway 18 at EVRA Riga International Airport was made from the north, with the aircraft heading 185.0° at 4 nautical miles and 1,276 feet above ground level. The landing was made on runway 18, which has a length of 2,895 meters. The threshold height was good, and the threshold speed was also good at 134 knots. The touchdown distance was 422 meters, which is a good distance. However, the touchdown speed was a little fast at 135 knots, and the touchdown rate was firm at -300 feet per minute.
The runway touchdown alignment was perfect, and the runway rollout alignment was also perfect. The local weather conditions at the time of landing were a temperature of 12°C, with a wind speed of 5 knots at 210°. The crosswind component was 2 knots, while the headwind component was 4 knots. The total landing distance was 1,376 meters, which is 48% of the runway length.
After landing, the aircraft taxied to the parking from the runway, which took 2 minutes and covered less than 1 nautical mile. The total flight distance was 524 nautical miles, and the flight took 84 minutes. The aircraft used 4,098 kilograms of fuel during the flight.
The Airbus A321 successfully landed at Riga International Airport, achieving a high score of 99.2%. The aircraft was approaching the runway from the north, heading 185.0° at a distance of 4 nautical miles and an altitude of 1,276 feet above ground level (agl). The final approach was executed with precision, and the aircraft landed safely on runway 18, which has a length of 2,895 meters.
The threshold height was good, indicating that the aircraft was at the correct altitude as it approached the runway. The threshold speed of 134 knots was also within the acceptable range, demonstrating the pilot's skill in managing the aircraft's speed during the landing. The touchdown distance of 422 meters was also satisfactory, indicating that the aircraft was able to touch down within a reasonable distance from the runway threshold.
However, the touchdown speed of 135 knots was slightly faster than the recommended speed, which may have resulted in a firmer touchdown rate of -300 feet per minute (fpm). Despite this, the runway touchdown alignment was perfect, indicating that the aircraft was aligned with the runway centerline at the moment of touchdown.
The local weather conditions at the time of landing were favorable, with a temperature of 12°C and a wind speed of 5 knots from 210°. The crosswind component was minimal at 2 knots, while the headwind component was 4 knots, which helped to stabilize the aircraft during the landing.
The total landing distance of 1,376 meters was 48% of the runway length, which is a reasonable distance considering the aircraft's size and weight. The runway rollout alignment was also perfect, indicating that the aircraft was able to maintain its alignment with the runway centerline during the rollout phase.
Overall, the landing was executed with precision and skill, and the aircraft was able to touch down safely on the runway. The minor deviations from the recommended touchdown speed and rate did not compromise the safety of the landing, and the aircraft was able to come to a stop within a reasonable distance from the runway threshold.
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