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MY FS FLIGHTS
Flight Score
Keep the approach speed on target
Every knot above Vref is stored kinetic energy, and energy stored at the threshold must be dissipated in ground effect before the aeroplane will stop flying. Because kinetic energy scales with the square of speed, the excess you must dissipate grows fast. At a 45-knot approach, five knots hot is over a tenth more speed and roughly a quarter more energy to get rid of in ground effect. This is why the fix is never in the flare. It was decided three miles earlier, on final, at the airspeed indicator.
Read more in VRef ExplainedStart to finish · 13 stages, 11 scored
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Two stabilised approach gates, each with six checks at 1,000 ft and 500 ft above the runway.
Side view — the last 4,291 ft of the approach.
Plan view — the full 4,291 ft runway, to the same scale as the side view.
The 1,100 ft 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 33 at the CN66 Hearst San Simeon Airstrip. The aircraft, an L-39 Albatros, accelerated down the 2,326-foot runway, covering 54% of its length, before lifting off at a speed of 124 knots. The local weather conditions at the time of takeoff were characterized by a temperature of 61°F and a gentle wind blowing at 2 knots from a direction of 269°, resulting in a negligible crosswind and headwind.
Following a brief level cruise that lasted less than a minute and covered a distance of 2 nautical miles, the aircraft began its enroute climb. This climb phase started 5 miles northwest of the airstrip and saw the aircraft ascend from an altitude of 273 feet above sea level to 6,854 feet, an increase of 6,581 feet, in just 3 minutes. During this time, the aircraft covered a distance of 1 nautical mile.
As the aircraft continued its journey, it entered the enroute descent phase, which began 6 miles northwest of San Simeon. The descent from 6,762 feet above sea level to 222 feet above sea level, a decrease of 6,541 feet, was completed in 3 minutes and covered a distance of 7 nautical miles.
The final approach to runway 33 at the CN66 Hearst San Simeon Airstrip was made from the southeast, with the aircraft flying at an altitude of 14 feet above ground level and a heading of 313.0°. The landing was executed on the 4,291-foot runway, with a threshold height that was considered good. However, the threshold speed was excessively high at 311 knots.
The touchdown distance was good at 1,122 feet, and the touchdown speed of 103 knots was also considered good. The touchdown rate of -152 feet per minute was within acceptable limits, and the runway touchdown alignment was perfect. The local weather conditions at the time of landing were characterized by a temperature of 59°F and a gentle wind blowing at 3 knots from a direction of 272°, resulting in a negligible crosswind and headwind.
The total landing distance was 2,088 feet, which represented 49% of the runway length. The runway rollout alignment was also perfect, indicating a smooth and controlled landing. The total flight distance was 13 nautical miles, and the flight duration was 10 minutes. Notably, the aircraft used no fuel during the flight.
The L-39 Albatros aircraft successfully landed at the CN66 Hearst San Simeon Airstrip, achieving a score of 74.4%. The final approach to runway 33 was initiated from the south east, heading 313.0° at an altitude of 14 feet above ground level (agl) and 0 nautical miles from the runway.
Upon landing, the aircraft demonstrated good control and precision, touching down on the runway at a speed of 103 kt. The touchdown distance of 1,122 ft was within acceptable limits, and the touchdown rate of -152 fpm was also satisfactory. The runway touchdown alignment was perfect, indicating that the pilot maintained a stable and controlled approach.
The local weather conditions at the time of landing were favorable, with a temperature of 59°F and a gentle wind of 3 kt from 272°. This resulted in a minimal crosswind and headwind, which contributed to the smooth landing. The threshold speed of 311 kt was slightly higher than expected, but it did not significantly impact the overall performance of the landing.
The total landing distance of 2,088 ft was 49% of the runway length, which is a relatively short distance considering the aircraft's size and weight. The runway rollout alignment was also perfect, indicating that the pilot maintained control and stability during the rollout phase.
Overall, the landing was successful, and the pilot demonstrated good skills and control. However, the slightly high threshold speed and the lower landing score suggest that there is room for improvement in terms of precision and control during the approach and landing phases.
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