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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 · 19 stages, 17 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.
The approach, gate by gate
Side view — the last 5,000 ft of the approach.
Plan view — the first 5,000 ft of the 6,077 ft runway, to the same scale as the side view.
The 870 ft 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 to the runway, which took 13 minutes and covered a distance of 2 nautical miles. The aircraft, a TBM 930, then departed from runway 18 at Colonel James Jabara Airport (KAAO) in Wichita, Kansas.
During takeoff, the aircraft lifted off the ground at a speed of 104 knots, covering a distance of 1,847 feet, which was 30% of the runway length. The local weather conditions at the time of takeoff were characterized by a temperature of 91°F and a wind speed of 20 knots from a direction of 170°, resulting in a 6-knot crosswind and a 19-knot headwind.
After takeoff, the aircraft began its enroute climb, starting overhead KAAO Colonel James Jabara Airport. The climb took the aircraft from an altitude of 2,183 feet above sea level to 3,705 feet above sea level, an increase of 1,521 feet, in just 2 minutes and covering a distance of 5 nautical miles.
The enroute descent started 1 mile south of SN16 Curtis Airport Grant, where the aircraft descended from 3,612 feet above sea level to 2,980 feet above sea level, a decrease of 632 feet, in 2 minutes and covering a distance of 6 nautical miles.
The aircraft then began another enroute climb, this time starting 3 miles north of KS10 Lake Chelan Airport Chelan. The climb took the aircraft from an altitude of 2,978 feet above sea level to 3,760 feet above sea level, an increase of 783 feet, in 2 minutes and covering a distance of 6 nautical miles.
The enroute level cruise started 4 miles north of Whitewater, Kansas, and lasted for 6 minutes, covering a distance of 13 nautical miles.
The final approach to runway 18 at KAAO Colonel James Jabara Airport was made from the north, heading 187.0° at a distance of 4 nautical miles and an altitude of 1,258 feet above ground level.
The landing on runway 18 was successful, with a touchdown distance of 863 feet, which was good, and a touchdown speed of 67 knots, which was slightly fast. The touchdown rate was firm at -316 feet per minute, and the runway touchdown alignment was very good.
The local weather conditions at the time of landing were characterized by a temperature of 88°F and a wind speed of 17 knots from a direction of 160°, resulting in an 8-knot crosswind and a 15-knot headwind.
The total landing distance was 1,231 feet, which was 20% of the runway length. The runway rollout alignment was perfect, and the taxiing to the parking from the runway took just 2 minutes and covered a distance of less than 1 nautical mile.
The total flight distance was 37 nautical miles, and the flight duration was 22 minutes, during which the aircraft used 141 pounds of fuel.
The TBM 930 aircraft successfully landed at Colonel James Jabara Airport (KAAO) with a score of 99.0%. The final approach was conducted from the north, heading 187.0° at a distance of 4 nautical miles and an altitude of 1,258 feet above ground level (agl). The aircraft touched down on runway 18, which has a length of 6,077 feet.
The threshold height was reported as good, indicating that the aircraft was at the correct height as it approached the runway. However, the threshold speed was slightly above the target speed of 72 kt, coming in at 73 kt. Despite this, the touchdown distance was good at 863 feet, which is a relatively short distance considering the aircraft's size and weight.
The touchdown speed of 67 kt was a little fast, but the touchdown rate of -316 feet per minute (fpm) was firm, indicating a controlled descent. The runway touchdown alignment was very good, suggesting that the aircraft was properly aligned with the runway as it touched down.
The local weather conditions at the time of the landing were warm, with a temperature of 88°F, and a moderate wind blowing at 17 kt from a direction of 160°. The crosswind component was 8 kt, while the headwind component was 15 kt. These conditions presented a moderate challenge for the pilot, but the aircraft handled them well.
The total landing distance was 1,231 feet, which is only 20% of the runway length. This indicates that the aircraft was able to stop quickly and efficiently after touchdown. The runway rollout alignment was perfect, suggesting that the pilot maintained control of the aircraft as it slowed down and came to a stop.
Overall, the landing was a success, with the aircraft performing well in a variety of challenging conditions. The pilot's skills and experience were evident in the smooth and controlled manner in which the aircraft touched down and came to a stop.
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