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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 · 15 stages, 14 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 1,462 m of the approach.
Plan view — the full 1,462 m runway, to the same scale as the side view.
The 341 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 17R at Kalamata Airport (LGKL). The TBM 850 aircraft accelerated down the runway, covering a distance of 360 meters, which was 13% of the runway length. The liftoff speed was achieved at 102 knots, marking the start of the takeoff phase.
As the aircraft climbed out of Kalamata Airport, it encountered local weather conditions of 18°C temperature and a wind speed of 0 knots from 270 degrees. The crosswind and headwind components were both zero, providing a favorable environment for takeoff. The enroute climb started approximately 1 mile east of Messini, where the aircraft ascended from 687 feet above sea level to 2,683 feet, a vertical gain of 1,996 feet, in just 1 minute. This climb phase covered a distance of 4 nautical miles.
Following the initial climb, the aircraft entered a level cruise phase, which lasted for 4 minutes and covered a distance of 16 nautical miles. This phase started 2 miles northwest of Avia. The aircraft then began another climb phase, this time from 3,528 feet to 4,398 feet, a vertical gain of 870 feet, in 2 minutes, covering a distance of 7 nautical miles. This climb phase started 4 miles east of Stoupa.
As the aircraft approached its destination, it entered a descent phase, which started 4 miles west of Gytheio. The aircraft descended from 4,317 feet to 3,285 feet, a vertical loss of 1,032 feet, in 2 minutes, covering a distance of 8 nautical miles. Following the descent, the aircraft entered another level cruise phase, which lasted for 9 minutes and covered a distance of 28 nautical miles. This phase started 7 miles south of Gytheio.
The final approach to runway 20 at Kithira Airport (LGKC) was initiated from the northeast, with a heading of 204.0 degrees at 3 nautical miles and 752 feet above ground level. The aircraft landed on runway 20, which had a length of 1,462 meters. The threshold height was good, and the threshold speed was well above the target speed at 78 knots. The touchdown distance was good at 340 meters, but the touchdown speed was fast at 73 knots. The touchdown rate was good at -193 feet per minute. However, the runway touchdown position was misaligned by 9.1 meters from the centerline.
The local weather conditions at the time of landing were 12°C temperature and a wind speed of 5 knots from 43 degrees. The crosswind component was 2 knots, and the tailwind component was 5 knots. The total flight distance was 68 nautical miles, and the flight duration was 21 minutes. The aircraft used 61 kilograms of fuel during the flight.
The TBM 850 aircraft successfully landed at LGKC Kithira Airport, achieving a high score of 98.3%. The final approach was conducted from the north-east, heading 204.0° at a distance of 3 nautical miles and an altitude of 752 feet above ground level (agl). The aircraft's approach to runway 20 was well-executed, with a good threshold height and a threshold speed that was well above the target at 78 knots.
Upon touchdown, the aircraft demonstrated a good touchdown distance of 340 meters, which is within the expected range for a safe landing. However, the touchdown speed of 73 knots was slightly faster than desired, indicating that the pilot may have been able to flare the aircraft more effectively to reduce the touchdown speed. The touchdown rate of -193 feet per minute (fpm) was good, indicating a controlled descent and a smooth landing.
Despite the successful landing, there was a minor issue with the runway touchdown position, which was misaligned by 9.1 meters from the centerline. This may have been due to a slight deviation in the aircraft's approach path or a miscalculation of the runway alignment. However, this deviation did not appear to have any significant impact on the safety of the landing.
The local weather conditions at the time of the landing were relatively calm, with a temperature of 12°C and a wind speed of 5 knots at 43°. The crosswind component was minimal at 2 knots, while the tailwind component was 5 knots. These conditions were favorable for the landing, and the pilot was able to successfully navigate the aircraft to the runway. Overall, the landing was a success, and the pilot demonstrated good skills and judgment in executing the approach and landing.
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