Events
Events
Events
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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, 15 scored
Events
Events
Events
Events
Events
Events
The threshold, the flare and the hold-off. The approach that led to it is the stabilisation gates below.
One stabilised approach gate for a circuit: five checks where the approach path is 500 ft above the runway. The 1,000 ft gate is an instrument-approach check and does not apply.
The approach, gate by gate
Side view — the last 5,000 ft of the approach.
Plan view — the first 5,000 ft of the 5,004 ft runway, to the same scale as the side view.
The 926 ft touchdown sits inside the full-score zone. The arrival was smooth.
The rest of the report
The flight took place in a Black Square Starship N45FL aircraft, which taxied from the parking area to the runway in less than a minute, covering a distance of less than 1 nautical mile. The departure roll from runway 05 at KSFZ North Central State Airport was smooth, with a takeoff distance of 2,919 feet, which accounted for 58% of the runway length. The aircraft lifted off at a speed of 114 knots.
The local weather conditions at the time of the flight were characterized by a temperature of 69°F and a wind speed of 6 knots at 79°. The crosswind was 4 knots, while the headwind was also 4 knots. The aircraft entered the left-hand pattern from runway 05, covering a distance of less than 1 nautical mile in 31 seconds. The pattern crosswind leg was completed in 18 seconds, and the downwind turn covered a distance of 3 nautical miles at an angle of 45 degrees to the runway, with a turn angle of 14.2 degrees.
The downwind leg of the pattern was 2 nautical miles long and took 25 seconds to complete. The base leg turn covered a distance of 1 nautical mile at an angle of 45 degrees to the runway, with a turn angle of 41.3 degrees. The base leg itself was less than 1 nautical mile long and took 18 seconds to complete. The final turn was also less than 1 nautical mile long and took 20 seconds to complete.
The final approach to runway 05 was made from the southwest, heading 32.0° at 1 nautical mile and 310 feet above ground level. The landing on the runway was smooth, with a touchdown distance of 929 feet and a touchdown speed of 105 knots. The touchdown rate was -160 feet per minute, and the runway touchdown alignment was perfect. The local weather conditions remained the same, with a temperature of 69°F and a wind speed of 6 knots at 80°.
The crosswind was 4 knots, while the headwind was also 4 knots. The total flight distance was 8 nautical miles, and the flight took 5 minutes to complete. The aircraft used 112 pounds of fuel during the flight. Overall, the flight was executed smoothly and efficiently, with good weather conditions and a well-executed landing.
The aircraft, Black Square Starship N45FL, successfully landed at KSFZ North Central State Airport with an impressive score of 99.4%. The final approach to runway 05 was initiated from the southwest, with a heading of 32.0° at a distance of 1 nautical mile and an altitude of 310 feet above ground level (agl).
The pilot demonstrated excellent control and precision during the landing, as evident from the perfect runway touchdown alignment. The aircraft touched down on the runway at a speed of 105 knots, which was within the acceptable threshold speed of 108 knots. The touchdown distance of 929 feet was also well within the expected range, indicating a smooth and controlled descent.
The local weather conditions at the time of landing were favorable, with a temperature of 69°F and a gentle wind of 6 knots at 80°. The crosswind component was minimal at 4 knots, while the headwind component was also 4 knots, resulting in a negligible effect on the aircraft's approach and landing.
The pilot's performance was further highlighted by the good threshold height, which suggests that the aircraft was properly configured for landing. The touchdown rate of -160 feet per minute (fpm) was also within the acceptable range, indicating a controlled and gentle touchdown.
Overall, the landing of Black Square Starship N45FL at KSFZ North Central State Airport was a textbook example of precision and control, with the pilot demonstrating exceptional skills and expertise in navigating the aircraft through the final approach and landing phases.
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