Events
Events
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 · 14 stages, 13 scored
Events
Events
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 1,524 m of the approach.
Plan view — the first 1,524 m of the 2,132 m runway, to the same scale as the side view.
Touched down 525 m past the threshold — beyond the full-score zone. The arrival was smooth.
The rest of the report
The flight involved a PA28 Arrow III aircraft, which departed from Edinburgh Airport's runway 24. The takeoff roll distance was 499 meters, accounting for 23% of the runway. The liftoff speed was approximately 91 knots. At the time of takeoff, the local weather conditions were characterized by a temperature of 16 degrees Celsius and a light wind of 2 knots blowing from the southwest. The crosswind was virtually negligible at 1 knot, but there was a headwind of 2 knots.
After taking off, the aircraft entered a right-hand pattern for landing. The right-hand pattern entry was executed in less than 1 nautical mile and 24 seconds, indicating a well-coordinated turn. In the pattern, a right-hand crosswind turn was completed in under 1 nautical mile and 11 seconds, confirming the pilot's proficiency in navigating crosswinds. The pattern's downwind turn covered a distance of 2 nautical miles and had an angle of approximately 99.3 degrees to the runway, which is relatively standard. The pattern's base leg turn was slightly longer at 3 nautical miles and had an angle of 60.7 degrees to the runway, again within normal parameters.
Following the base leg turn, the aircraft began its final approach to runway 24 from the north-east, at an altitude of 285 feet above ground level (agl) and a heading of 238.0 degrees. The landing was executed from a distance of 1 nautical mile from the runway threshold. The touchdown point was 85 meters beyond the touchdown zone, but the touchdown speed of 60 knots was considered good. The touchdown rate of -103 feet per minute was smooth, indicating a controlled touch down. The runway touchdown alignment was also very good.
Upon landing, the aircraft rolled out for approximately 1,002 meters or 47% of the runway, with runway rollout alignment being very good. This shows a high degree of proficiency in landing roll control. The landing process was completed during local weather conditions of 11 degrees Celsius and a wind of 4 knots blowing from the southwest, with no crosswind but a tailwind of 4 knots.
The total flight distance was 9 nautical miles, which took 6 minutes to complete. The aircraft used a total of 104 kilograms of fuel during the flight. These results are highly indicative of a well-executed flight.
The aircraft in question was a PA28 Arrow III that successfully landed on runway 24 at EGPH Edinburgh Airport. The final approach was carried out from the northeast, with the aircraft heading 238.0° at 1 nautical mile (nm) and 285 feet above ground level (agl). The landing was conducted during favorable local weather conditions, with a temperature of 11°C and a gentle wind blowing at 4 knots from a direction of 57°. This resulted in a negligible crosswind, a 4-knot tailwind, and a generally smooth approach.
The landing itself was deemed satisfactory, with a landing speed of 60 knots being considered suitable. The touchdown point was located 85 meters beyond the designated touchdown zone on the runway. Although the threshold speed of 89 knots was slightly higher than ideal, it did not significantly impact the overall outcome of the landing.
The touchdown rate was notably smooth, registering a descent rate of -103 feet per minute (fpm). Furthermore, the aircraft exhibited excellent runway alignment during both the touchdown and rollout phases of the landing. This indicates that the pilot was fully in control of the aircraft, even at low speeds.
A total landing distance of 1,002 meters was recorded, which represented approximately 47% of the runway's 2,132-meter length. This is an acceptable distance, reflecting the pilot's ability to manage the aircraft's speed and approach path to achieve a safe and controlled landing. Overall, the PA28 Arrow III demonstrated excellent performance during this landing, with good scores across various parameters, including a final score of 95.7%.
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