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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 · 13 stages, 12 scored
Events
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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 408 m touchdown sits inside the full-score zone. The arrival was smooth.
The rest of the report
The flight began with the departure roll from runway 16 at LGTS Thessaloniki Macedonia International Airport. The Airbus A320 took off with a takeoff distance of 1,368 meters, which is 56% of the runway length. The liftoff speed was 159 knots, indicating a smooth and efficient takeoff.
As the aircraft climbed out of the airport, it encountered local weather conditions of 9°C temperature and a wind speed of 10 knots at 140 degrees. The crosswind component was 4 knots, while the headwind component was 9 knots. The enroute climb started overhead the airport, where the aircraft climbed from 1,036 feet above sea level to 1,861 feet above sea level, an increase of 825 feet in just 1 minute, covering a distance of 1 nautical mile.
After reaching the desired altitude, the enroute descent started 1 mile southwest of Thermi, a nearby town in Central Macedonia, Greece. The aircraft descended from 1,861 feet above sea level to 636 feet above sea level, a decrease of 1,224 feet in 2 minutes, covering a distance of 3 nautical miles.
The final approach to runway 16 at LGTS Thessaloniki Macedonia International Airport was made from the north, heading 159.0 degrees at 2 nautical miles and 612 feet above ground level. The landing was smooth, with a threshold speed of 116 knots and a touchdown speed of 109 knots. The touchdown distance was 406 meters, which is a good indication of the aircraft's performance.
The total landing distance was 1,097 meters, which is 45% of the runway length. The runway touchdown alignment was very good, and the runway rollout alignment was also very good. The local weather conditions remained the same, with a temperature of 9°C and a wind speed of 10 knots at 140 degrees.
After landing, the aircraft taxied to the parking area from the runway, taking 188 minutes and covering a distance of less than 1 nautical mile. The total flight distance was 8 nautical miles, and the flight duration was 8 minutes. The aircraft used 212 kilograms of fuel during the flight. Overall, the flight was smooth and efficient, with good performance and handling characteristics.
The Airbus A320 successfully landed at LGTS Thessaloniki Macedonia International Airport, demonstrating a high level of proficiency in its approach and landing procedures. The aircraft's final approach to runway 16 was initiated from the north, with a heading of 159.0° at an altitude of 612 feet above ground level (agl) and 2 nautical miles from the runway.
The pilot's control of the aircraft during the final approach was excellent, with a threshold height that was well within the acceptable range. The threshold speed of 116 knots was also satisfactory, indicating that the pilot had maintained a safe and controlled approach speed. The touchdown distance of 406 meters was also good, suggesting that the pilot had made a smooth and controlled touchdown.
However, the touchdown rate of -219 feet per minute (fpm) was only fair, indicating that the pilot may have been able to make a more controlled touchdown. Nevertheless, the runway touchdown alignment was very good, suggesting that the pilot had maintained a stable and controlled approach.
The local weather conditions at the time of the landing were relatively calm, with a temperature of 9°C and a wind speed of 10 knots from a direction of 140°. The crosswind component was minimal, at 4 knots, while the headwind component was 9 knots. These conditions would have made the landing relatively straightforward for the pilot.
The total landing distance of 1,097 meters was 45% of the runway length, which is a relatively short distance. This suggests that the pilot had made a smooth and controlled touchdown, and that the aircraft had decelerated quickly and efficiently after touchdown. The runway rollout alignment was also very good, indicating that the pilot had maintained a stable and controlled rollout.
Overall, the landing of the Airbus A320 at LGTS Thessaloniki Macedonia International Airport was a success, with the pilot demonstrating a high level of proficiency in its approach and landing procedures.
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