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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 · 26 stages, 24 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 5,000 ft of the approach.
Plan view — the first 5,000 ft of the 9,974 ft runway, to the same scale as the side view.
Touched down 2,074 ft past the threshold — beyond the full-score zone. The arrival was smooth.
The rest of the report
The flight began with a taxiing period from the parking to the runway, which took 9 minutes and covered less than 1 nautical mile. The aircraft, an Airbus A320, then departed from runway 01L at San Francisco International Airport (KSFO) in San Francisco, California. The takeoff distance was 5,280 feet, which accounted for 72% of the runway. The liftoff speed was 155 knots.
As the aircraft climbed out of KSFO, it began its enroute climb, reaching an altitude of 37,024 feet above sea level (asl) from an initial altitude of 1,036 feet asl. This climb took 24 minutes and covered a distance of 174 nautical miles. The aircraft then entered a level cruise, which started 5 miles southeast of Spanish Springs, Nevada, and lasted for 109 minutes. During this period, the aircraft covered a distance of 908 nautical miles.
The enroute descent started 14 miles southeast of Fort Pierre, South Dakota, and involved a decrease in altitude from 36,972 feet asl to 35,808 feet asl. This descent took 2 minutes and covered a distance of 14 nautical miles. The aircraft then began another climb, this time from 35,925 feet asl to 36,982 feet asl, which took 2 minutes and covered 14 nautical miles. The aircraft continued to alternate between climbs and descents, with each segment lasting only a few minutes.
As the aircraft approached its destination, it began its final descent, which started 4 miles east of Huron, South Dakota. The aircraft descended from 36,614 feet asl to 24,207 feet asl, a decrease of 12,407 feet, in 16 minutes and covered a distance of 105 nautical miles. The aircraft then entered a level cruise, which started 6 miles east of Marshall, Minnesota, and lasted for 3 minutes. The final descent started 3 miles east of 60MN Fuhr Flying Svc Airport Seaforth, Minnesota, and involved a decrease in altitude from 23,995 feet asl to 2,029 feet asl. This descent took 21 minutes and covered a distance of 85 nautical miles.
The aircraft then began its final approach to runway 12R at Minneapolis–Saint Paul International Airport (KMSP), flying from the northwest at a heading of 121.0°. The aircraft landed on the runway, which was 9,974 feet long, and had a good threshold height. The threshold speed was also good at 132 knots. The touchdown point was 298 feet beyond the touchdown zone, and the touchdown speed was 123 knots, which was good. The touchdown rate was smooth at -132 feet per minute, and the runway touchdown alignment was perfect.
The total landing distance was 3,832 feet, which accounted for 38% of the runway. However, the runway rollout alignment was misaligned by 61 feet from the centerline. The taxiing period from the runway to the parking took 3 minutes and covered less than 1 nautical mile. The total flight distance was 1,379 nautical miles, and the flight took 197 minutes. The aircraft used 15,096 pounds of fuel during the flight.
The Airbus A320 successfully landed on runway 12R at KMSP Minneapolis–Saint Paul International Airport, achieving a high score of 91.5%. The aircraft approached the runway from the northwest, heading 121.0° at a distance of 4 nautical miles and an altitude of 1,186 feet above ground level (agl). The pilot maintained a good threshold height, which is a crucial aspect of a safe landing.
Upon touchdown, the aircraft's threshold speed was recorded at 132 knots, which is within the acceptable range. The touchdown point was 298 feet beyond the designated touchdown zone, but this is not considered a significant deviation. The touchdown speed of 123 knots was also within the acceptable range, indicating a smooth and controlled descent. The touchdown rate of -132 feet per minute (fpm) was also smooth, suggesting that the aircraft's descent was well-managed.
The local weather conditions at the time of landing were characterized by a temperature of 46°F, which is relatively mild. The total landing distance of 3,832 feet was 38% of the runway length, indicating that the aircraft landed within a reasonable distance. However, the runway rollout alignment was slightly misaligned by 61 feet from the centerline, which may require some adjustments to the pilot's technique.
Overall, the landing was considered good, with the pilot demonstrating a high level of skill and control. While there were some minor deviations from the ideal landing parameters, the aircraft's performance was generally satisfactory.
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