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
The threshold, the flare and the hold-off. The approach that led to it is the stabilisation gates below.
One stabilised approach gate for a circuit: five checks where the approach path is 500 ft above the runway. 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 2,114 m runway, to the same scale as the side view.
The 283 m touchdown sits inside the full-score zone. The arrival was smooth.
The rest of the report
The flight was conducted in an Aeroprakt A-32 Vixxen, a lightweight aircraft designed for recreational flying. The departure from Newcastle Airport (EGNT) began with a roll on runway 25, where the aircraft accelerated to a liftoff speed of 48 knots. The takeoff distance was a mere 38 meters, which is just 2% of the runway's length.
As the aircraft entered the local traffic pattern, it followed a left-hand pattern entry from runway 25. The turn was completed in under 1 nautical mile in just 21 seconds, demonstrating the aircraft's agility and responsiveness. The subsequent left-hand pattern crosswind turn was slightly longer, taking 30 seconds to complete.
The flight then proceeded to the downwind leg, where the aircraft turned at an angle of 73.7 degrees to the runway. This turn covered a distance of 1 nautical mile and set the stage for the downwind leg itself, which lasted for 77 seconds and covered a distance of 2 nautical miles.
As the aircraft approached the base leg, it turned at an angle of 47.6 degrees to the runway, covering a distance of 1 nautical mile. The base leg itself was short, lasting just 31 seconds and covering less than 1 nautical mile.
The final turn, which brought the aircraft onto the final approach, was completed in under 1 nautical mile in 32 seconds. The aircraft then began its final approach to runway 25, flying at a heading of 246.0 degrees and an altitude of 193 feet above ground level (agl).
The landing itself was smooth and controlled, with the aircraft touching down at a speed of 22 knots and a distance of 280 meters. The touchdown rate was perfect at -48 feet per minute (fpm), and the runway touchdown alignment was very good. The aircraft's performance was further enhanced by the favorable local weather conditions, with a temperature of 15 degrees Celsius and a gentle headwind of 2 knots.
In terms of fuel efficiency, the flight was a success, with the aircraft using a mere 0 kilograms of fuel over the course of the 7-nautical-mile flight, which took a total of 7 minutes to complete.
The Aeroprakt A-32 Vixxen, a pioneering aircraft, successfully landed at EGNT Newcastle Airport on runway 25. The aircraft approached the runway from the north east, heading 246.0° at an altitude of 193 feet above ground level (agl) and 0 nautical miles from the runway. This precise approach demonstrates the pilot's skill and control over the aircraft.
Upon landing, the aircraft touched down on the runway with a distance of 280 meters, which is considered good. The touchdown speed of 22 knots was also within the acceptable range, indicating a smooth and controlled descent. The touchdown rate of -48 feet per minute (fpm) was perfect, signifying a gentle and stable landing. The runway touchdown alignment was very good, further emphasizing the pilot's expertise.
The local weather conditions at the time of the landing were favorable, with a temperature of 15°C and a gentle wind of 2 knots at 270°. The crosswind was minimal at 1 knot, and the headwind was 2 knots, which helped to stabilize the aircraft during the landing. Overall, the landing was a success, with the aircraft demonstrating its capabilities and the pilot showcasing their exceptional skills.
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