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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 · 14 stages, 12 scored
Events
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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.
The approach, gate by gate
Side view — the last 882 m of the approach.
Plan view — the full 882 m runway, to the same scale as the side view.
The 118 m touchdown sits inside the full-score zone. The arrival was smooth.
The rest of the report
The flight began with the Cessna Grand Caravan taxiing from the parking area to the runway at KFHR Friday Harbor Airport, a process that took 2 minutes and covered less than 1 nautical mile. The aircraft then departed from runway 34, with a takeoff distance of 281 meters, which accounted for 27% of the runway. The liftoff speed was 65 knots.
As the aircraft took to the skies, it encountered local weather conditions of 15°C temperature and a wind speed of 7 knots at 193 degrees. The crosswind was minimal at 2 knots, while the tailwind was 7 knots. The enroute climb began overhead Friday Harbor, with the aircraft ascending from 1,044 feet above sea level to 2,478 feet, an increase of 1,434 feet in 2 minutes, covering a distance of 4 nautical miles.
The enroute descent started overhead 6WA5 Wilding Farm Airport Shaw Island, with the aircraft descending from 2,472 feet to 823 feet, a decrease of 1,650 feet in 3 minutes, covering a distance of 6 nautical miles. The final approach to runway 34 at KORS Orcas Island Airport was made from the south, with the aircraft heading 0.0 degrees at 2 nautical miles and 788 feet above ground level.
The landing on runway 34 was successful, with a touchdown distance of 116 meters, which was well within the runway length of 882 meters. The touchdown speed was 59 knots, and the touchdown rate was firm at -303 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 16°C temperature and a wind speed of 7 knots at 178 degrees, with a crosswind of 0 knots and a tailwind of 7 knots. The total landing distance was 373 meters, which accounted for 42% of the runway. The total flight distance was 13 nautical miles, and the flight duration was 11 minutes. The aircraft used 28 kilograms of fuel during the flight.
The Cessna Grand Caravan 01 successfully landed at KORS Orcas Island Airport, achieving a high score of 97.4%. The aircraft approached the runway from the south, heading directly towards the threshold at an altitude of 788 feet above ground level (agl) and a distance of 2 nautical miles from the runway.
The pilot executed a precise final approach, taking into account the runway's length of 882 meters and the local weather conditions. The temperature was a moderate 16 degrees Celsius, with a gentle wind blowing at 7 knots from a direction of 178 degrees. This resulted in a negligible crosswind component, but a slight tailwind of 7 knots, which the pilot effectively managed.
Upon reaching the threshold, the pilot maintained a speed of 64 knots, which was well below the target speed to avoid stalling the aircraft. This cautious approach paid off, as the aircraft touched down smoothly on the runway at a speed of 59 knots. The touchdown distance of 116 meters was also satisfactory, indicating a well-executed landing.
The pilot's control and coordination were evident in the firm touchdown rate of -303 feet per minute, which was achieved without compromising the aircraft's stability. The runway touchdown alignment was perfect, demonstrating the pilot's skill and attention to detail.
The total landing distance of 373 meters, which accounted for only 42% of the runway, was a testament to the pilot's expertise in managing the aircraft's speed and descent. The runway rollout alignment was also perfect, indicating a smooth and controlled deceleration of the aircraft after touchdown.
Overall, the landing was a success, with the pilot demonstrating exceptional skill and control throughout the approach and touchdown phases. The high score of 97.4% reflects the pilot's ability to execute a precise and safe landing, even in the presence of a slight tailwind.
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