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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 · 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.
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.
Side view — the last 5,000 ft of the approach.
Plan view — the first 5,000 ft of the 7,506 ft runway, to the same scale as the side view.
The 1,145 ft 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 6 minutes and covered a distance of 1 nautical mile. The aircraft, a Boeing 737-700, then departed from runway 28 at the Baltimore/Washington International Thurgood Marshall Airport (KBWI). The takeoff distance was 4,323 feet, which accounted for 46% of the runway. The liftoff speed was 144 knots, and the local weather conditions at the time of departure were characterized by a temperature of 66°F and a wind speed of 2 knots from a direction of 290°.
As the aircraft climbed to a higher altitude, it began its enroute climb 1 mile south east of Hanover, Maryland. The climb started from an altitude of 1,161 feet above sea level (asl) and reached a maximum altitude of 11,988 ft asl, an increase of 10,827 feet in just 6 minutes. The aircraft covered a distance of 22 nautical miles during this climb phase. Following the climb, the aircraft entered a level cruise phase, which started 1 mile east of Galesville, Maryland, and lasted for 5 minutes. During this period, the aircraft covered a distance of 29 nautical miles.
The enroute descent phase began 3 miles south east of Mechanicsville, Maryland, where the aircraft started its descent from an altitude of 12,008 ft asl to 2,805 ft asl, a decrease of 9,203 feet in 10 minutes. The aircraft covered a distance of 33 nautical miles during this descent phase. Following the descent, the aircraft entered another level cruise phase, which started 6 miles west of VA89 Chance Airport Davis Wharf, Virginia, and lasted for 12 minutes. During this period, the aircraft covered a distance of 23 nautical miles.
The final descent phase began overhead Chamberlayne, Virginia, where the aircraft descended from an altitude of 2,709 ft asl to 1,400 ft asl, a decrease of 1,310 feet in just 2 minutes. The aircraft covered a distance of 5 nautical miles during this final descent phase. The aircraft then began its final approach to runway 16 at the Richmond International Airport (KRIC), flying from the north west at a heading of 148.0° and at an altitude of 1,225 feet above ground level (agl).
The aircraft landed on runway 16, which had a length of 7,506 feet. The threshold height was good, and the threshold speed was slightly above the target speed of 135 knots. The touchdown distance was good at 1,141 feet, but the touchdown speed was a little fast at 127 knots. The touchdown rate was fair at -233 feet per minute (fpm), and the runway touchdown alignment was perfect. The local weather conditions at the time of landing were characterized by a temperature of 64°F and a wind speed of 4 knots from a direction of 220°.
Following the landing, the aircraft taxied to the parking area, which took 5 minutes and covered a distance of less than 1 nautical mile. The total flight distance was 119 nautical miles, and the total flight time was 47 minutes. The aircraft used a total of 4,637 pounds of fuel during the flight.
The Boeing 737-700 aircraft successfully landed at KRIC Richmond International Airport, demonstrating a high level of proficiency in its approach and landing procedures. The aircraft was approaching the runway from the northwest, heading 148.0° at a distance of 4 nautical miles and an altitude of 1,225 feet above ground level (agl). This positioning allowed the pilots to maintain a safe and controlled descent onto the runway.
Upon landing, the aircraft touched down on the runway at a speed of 127 knots, which was slightly above the target speed. However, the touchdown distance of 1,141 feet was within acceptable limits, indicating a well-executed approach. The runway touchdown alignment was perfect, demonstrating the pilots' ability to accurately control the aircraft's descent and positioning.
The local weather conditions at the time of the landing were favorable, with a temperature of 64°F and a gentle wind of 4 knots from 220°. This resulted in a minimal crosswind component of 4 knots and a headwind of 1 knot, which did not significantly impact the landing. The pilots' ability to adapt to these conditions and maintain a safe and controlled landing is a testament to their skill and experience.
The total landing distance of 3,780 feet was 50% of the runway length, indicating a good balance between speed and control. The runway rollout alignment was also very good, demonstrating the pilots' ability to maintain control of the aircraft during the critical phase of landing. Overall, this landing was a success, with the pilots demonstrating a high level of proficiency and control throughout the approach and landing phases.
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