Events
Events
MY FS FLIGHTS
Flight Score
Improve the pattern downwind leg
The 45-degrees-behind-the-wing cue assumes you can turn your head and use peripheral vision. Downwind spacing cues like "put the wingtip halfway up the strut" assume a fixed, known eyepoint. Neither survives a monitor unmodified. If you fly on a fixed monitor, stop pretending and fly a numbers-based circuit.
Read more in Pattern WorkStart to finish · 17 stages, 15 scored
Events
Events
One stabilised approach gate for a circuit: six checks at the point nearest 500 ft above the runway after the base turn. The 1,000 ft gate is an instrument-approach check and does not apply.
The approach, gate by gate
Side view — the last 1,224 m of the approach.
Plan view — the full 1,224 m runway, to the same scale as the side view.
Touched down 8 m short of the threshold. The arrival was smooth.
The rest of the report
Departing from Reichelsheim Airfield (EDFB), the Cessna Skyhawk began its takeoff roll on runway 18, accelerating to a liftoff speed of 72 kt in a distance of 508 m, which accounted for 41% of the available runway. The aircraft lifted off into a local temperature of 25 °C, with a wind of 14 kt at 192°, resulting in a 3 kt crosswind and a 13 kt headwind.
As the aircraft entered the left-hand traffic pattern, it demonstrated a swift and precise turn, completing the pattern entry in less than 1 nm in 10 seconds. The subsequent crosswind turn was executed in 29 seconds, showcasing the pilot's skill in managing the aircraft's response to the wind conditions. The pattern downwind turn was completed in 1 nm, with an angle to the runway of 84.7°, while the downwind leg itself covered a distance of 2 nm in 48 seconds. The base leg turn, with an angle to the runway of 46.8°, was followed by a base leg of 1 nm in 37 seconds, and the final turn was completed in less than 1 nm in 20 seconds. The aircraft then began its final approach to runway 18 from the north, maintaining a heading of 162.0° at 1 nm and 541 ft above ground level.
The Cessna Skyhawk touched down before the threshold, with a touchdown speed of 53 kt and a rate of -169 fpm, indicating a good touchdown. The runway touchdown position was slightly misaligned by 5.6 m from the centreline. The total landing distance was 205 m, accounting for 17% of the available runway, and the runway rollout alignment was very good. The aircraft used a total of 2 kg of fuel for the 7 nm flight, which took approximately 5 minutes to complete.
The final approach to runway 18 at EDFB Reichelsheim Airfield was conducted from the north, aligning with the heading of 162.0° at a distance of 1 nautical mile and an altitude of 541 feet above ground level. The approach quality was satisfactory, with a stable and controlled descent. The aircraft touched down before the threshold, indicating a good sense of timing and control from the pilot. The touchdown speed of 53 knots was within the acceptable range, and the touchdown rate of -169 feet per minute was also good, indicating a smooth and controlled touchdown.
Upon touchdown, the aircraft was slightly misaligned with the centreline by 5.6 meters, which may have been due to a slight deviation in the approach or a minor error in control during the final stages of the landing. However, the runway rollout alignment was very good, indicating that the pilot was able to quickly regain control and maintain a straight path down the runway. The local weather conditions, with a temperature of 24°C and a wind of 12 knots at 192°, contributed to a relatively straightforward landing, with a crosswind of only 3 knots and a headwind of 11 knots.
The total landing distance of 205 meters was 17% of the runway length, which is a good indication of the pilot's ability to control the aircraft and bring it to a stop in a relatively short distance. Overall, the landing was considered to be of high quality, with a score of 97.2%. The pilot demonstrated good control and timing throughout the approach and landing, and was able to maintain a high level of performance despite the slight deviation from the centreline.
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