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MY FS FLIGHTS
Flight Score
Hold the approach angle
Preparing for a stable approach will give you time to decide on whether to attempt the landing or going around. Too much altitude with a high sink rate will result in carrying too much speed onto the runway. Configuring flaps and the gear late also won't help the speed decay.
Read more in The Stabilised ApproachStart to finish · 16 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 1,524 m of the approach.
Plan view — the first 1,524 m of the 2,441 m runway, to the same scale as the side view.
The 379 m touchdown sits inside the full-score zone. The arrival was smooth.
The rest of the report
The flight began with a taxiing period from the parking area to the runway, which took 9 minutes and covered a distance of 2 nautical miles. The aircraft, a Piper PA-24-250 Comanche, then departed from runway 29 at KSBP San Luis County Regional Airport. The takeoff distance was 209 meters, which accounted for 14% of the runway. The liftoff speed was 65 knots.
The local weather conditions at the time of departure were characterized by a temperature of 15 degrees Celsius and a wind speed of 1 knot from a direction of 270 degrees. This resulted in a crosswind of 1 knot and a headwind of 1 knot. The aircraft began its enroute climb after departing the airport, with the climb starting overhead the airport and reaching an altitude of 2,575 feet above sea level. The climb was a significant one, with an increase of 1,743 feet in just 3 minutes, covering a distance of 4 nautical miles.
Following the climb, the aircraft entered a level cruise phase, which lasted for 11 minutes and covered a distance of 18 nautical miles. This phase of the flight took place 1 mile north of Pismo Beach, California. The aircraft then began its enroute descent, which started 1 mile south of Santa Maria, California. The descent was from an altitude of 1,965 feet above sea level to 1,016 feet above sea level, a decrease of 949 feet in just 2 minutes, covering a distance of 3 nautical miles.
The final approach to runway 30 at KSMX Santa Maria Public Airport Captain G Allan Hancock Field was made from the southeast, heading 330.0 degrees at an altitude of 777 feet above ground level and 1 nautical mile from the runway. The landing was successful, with a touchdown speed of 44 knots and a touchdown rate of -54 feet per minute. The touchdown distance was 378 meters, which was 22% of the runway length. The runway touchdown position was slightly misaligned by 3.5 meters from the centerline.
The local weather conditions at the time of landing were the same as those at the time of departure, with a temperature of 15 degrees Celsius and a wind speed of 1 knot from a direction of 270 degrees. The crosswind and headwind were both 1 knot. The total landing distance was 536 meters, and the runway rollout alignment was very good. The taxiing period from the runway to the parking area took 4 minutes and covered a distance of less than 1 nautical mile.
The total flight distance was 28 nautical miles, and the flight duration was 25 minutes. The aircraft used a total of -27 kilograms of fuel during the flight.
The Piper PA-24-250 Comanche successfully landed at KSMX Santa Maria Public Airport, Captain G Allan Hancock Field, with a score of 92.1%. The aircraft approached the runway from the south east, heading 330.0° at 1 nautical mile and 777 feet above ground level (agl). The pilot demonstrated good control and precision during the final approach, ultimately landing on runway 30.
The runway length at KSMX Santa Maria Public Airport is 2,441 meters, providing a safe margin for the Comanche's landing. The threshold height was good, and the threshold speed was maintained at 67 knots, indicating a smooth and controlled descent. The touchdown distance of 378 meters was also within acceptable limits, and the touchdown speed of 44 knots was well-managed.
One notable aspect of the landing was the excellent touchdown rate of -54 feet per minute (fpm), which suggests a gentle and controlled touchdown. However, the runway touchdown position was slightly misaligned by 3.5 meters from the centerline, which may require some adjustment in the pilot's approach or landing technique.
The local weather conditions at the time of the landing were relatively calm, with a temperature of 15°C and a wind speed of 1 knot from 270°. This resulted in a negligible crosswind and headwind, making the landing even more straightforward. The total landing distance of 536 meters was 22% of the runway length, which is a reasonable and safe distance.
During the rollout, the aircraft maintained very good alignment with the runway centerline, indicating a high level of control and precision from the pilot. Overall, the landing was a success, with the pilot demonstrating good skills and control throughout the approach and landing phases.
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