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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 · 12 stages, 11 scored
Events
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Events
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.
The approach, gate by gate
Side view — the last 1,524 m of the approach.
Plan view — the first 1,524 m of the 2,431 m runway, to the same scale as the side view.
The 303 m 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 16 at LGTS Thessaloniki Macedonia International Airport. The Airbus A320 took off after covering 79% of the runway, which was 1,921 meters long. The liftoff speed was 160 knots, and the aircraft lifted off smoothly.
As the aircraft climbed out of the airport, it encountered local weather conditions with a temperature of 9 degrees Celsius and a wind speed of 10 knots at 139 degrees. The crosswind component was 4 knots, while the headwind component was 9 knots. The enroute climb started approximately 1 mile northeast of Plagiari, a town in Central Macedonia, Greece. The aircraft climbed from an altitude of 1,117 feet above sea level to 1,732 feet above sea level, an increase of 615 feet in just 1 minute, while covering a distance of 1 nautical mile.
After reaching the desired altitude, the aircraft began its enroute descent, which started overhead the airport. The descent was from 1,691 feet above sea level to 436 feet above sea level, a decrease of 1,255 feet in 2 minutes, while covering a distance of 2 nautical miles. The aircraft then lined up for the final approach to runway 16, which was 2,431 meters long. The aircraft was heading 162.0 degrees and was 1 nautical mile away from the runway, at an altitude of 412 feet above ground level.
The landing was smooth, with a threshold speed of 118 knots and a touchdown speed of 109 knots. The touchdown distance was 302 meters, which was within the acceptable limits. However, the touchdown rate was slightly higher than ideal at -248 feet per minute. The runway touchdown position was slightly misaligned from the centerline by 3.1 meters.
The total landing distance was 964 meters, which was 40% of the runway length. The runway rollout alignment was very good, indicating that the aircraft was well under control during the landing. The total flight distance was 7 nautical miles, and the flight duration was 5 minutes. The aircraft used 155 kilograms of fuel during the flight.
The Airbus A320 successfully landed at LGTS Thessaloniki Macedonia International Airport, achieving a high score of 98.2%. The aircraft approached the runway from the north, heading 162.0° at 1 nautical mile and 412 feet above ground level (agl). The pilot maintained a good threshold height, which is a critical aspect of a safe landing.
Upon touchdown, the aircraft's speed was within the acceptable range, at 109 kt, and the touchdown distance was also satisfactory at 302 meters. However, the touchdown rate was slightly below average at -248 feet per minute (fpm), which may indicate a slightly longer deceleration period. The runway touchdown position was slightly misaligned by 3.1 meters from the centerline, which could be a minor concern for the pilot.
The local weather conditions at the time of landing were relatively calm, with a temperature of 9°C and a wind speed of 10 kt at 139°. The crosswind component was minimal at 4 kt, while the headwind component was 9 kt, which helped to reduce the aircraft's ground speed and make the landing more manageable.
The total landing distance of 964 meters was within 40% of the runway length, which is a reasonable distance considering the aircraft's size and weight. The runway rollout alignment was very good, indicating that the pilot maintained control of the aircraft during the deceleration phase and was able to bring the aircraft to a stop in a straight line.
Overall, the landing was successful, and the pilot demonstrated good skills and judgment in navigating the aircraft to a safe touchdown. However, there is room for improvement in terms of touchdown rate and runway alignment.
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