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MY FS FLIGHTS
Flight Score
Improve the pattern base leg
Bank angle in the pattern is conventionally kept to 20 to 30 degrees, and the base-to-final turn is where that convention earns its keep. Stall speed rises with bank because the wing must produce more lift in a turn. Roughly 7 per cent higher at 30 degrees, about 19 per cent at 45, and around 40 per cent at 60. At 65 kt on base you don't have much margin to spend steepening a turn to salvage an overshoot.
Read more in Pattern WorkStart to finish · 17 stages, 16 scored
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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 1,814 m runway, to the same scale as the side view.
The 439 m touchdown sits inside the full-score zone. The arrival was smooth.
The rest of the report
The flight began with a quick taxi from the parking area to the runway, taking less than a minute and covering a distance of less than a nautical mile. The aircraft, a PA28 Arrow III, then departed from runway 05 at EGPE Inverness Airport, with a takeoff distance of 515 meters, which accounted for 28% of the runway. The liftoff speed was 96 knots, and the local weather conditions were characterized by a temperature of 16 degrees Celsius and a wind speed of 1 knot from 273 degrees, resulting in a negligible crosswind and tailwind.
As the aircraft entered the left-hand pattern from runway 05, it covered a distance of less than a nautical mile in 31 seconds. The subsequent left-hand pattern crosswind leg was completed in 23 seconds, covering a similar distance. The pattern downwind turn involved a distance of 2 nautical miles, with an angle to the runway of 83.0 degrees. The downwind leg itself took 36 seconds to complete, covering the same distance.
The pattern base leg turn was another 2 nautical miles, with an angle to the runway of 28.1 degrees. The base leg itself was completed in 21 seconds, covering a distance of less than a nautical mile. The final turn was the shortest, taking 12 seconds to complete and covering a distance of less than a nautical mile.
The final approach to runway 05 was made from the southwest, with a heading of 39.0 degrees at an altitude of 503 feet above ground level and a distance of 2 nautical miles from the runway. The landing was successful, with a touchdown distance of 438 meters, which was 41% of the runway length. The touchdown speed was 62 knots, and the touchdown rate was smooth at -144 feet per minute. The runway touchdown alignment was perfect, and the runway rollout alignment was also perfect.
The local weather conditions remained the same, with a temperature of 15 degrees Celsius and a wind speed of 1 knot from 273 degrees, resulting in a negligible crosswind and tailwind. The total landing distance was 745 meters, and the total flight distance was 10 nautical miles, taking 7 minutes to complete. The flight used 4 kilograms of fuel.
The PA28 Arrow III aircraft successfully landed at EGPE Inverness Airport, achieving a high score of 99.1%. The final approach was conducted from the southwest, heading 39.0° at 2 nautical miles and 503 feet above ground level (agl). The aircraft demonstrated good control and precision during the approach, ultimately landing on runway 05.
The runway at EGPE Inverness Airport has a length of 1,814 meters, providing a sufficient distance for the aircraft to touch down and come to a stop. 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 too high at 85 knots, which may have required some additional control input from the pilot to slow the aircraft down.
The touchdown distance of 438 meters was considered good, and the touchdown speed of 62 knots was also within acceptable limits. The touchdown rate of -144 feet per minute (fpm) was smooth, indicating that the aircraft was able to absorb the impact of touching down on the runway without any significant jolt. The runway touchdown alignment was perfect, demonstrating the pilot's skill and control during the landing.
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 273°. The crosswind and tailwind components were both 1 knot, which had a minimal impact on the aircraft's performance during the landing. The total landing distance of 745 meters was 41% of the runway length, which is a reasonable distance considering the aircraft's size and weight.
The runway rollout alignment was also perfect, indicating that the pilot was able to maintain control of the aircraft as it slowed down and came to a stop on the runway. Overall, the landing was a success, with the aircraft demonstrating good control and precision throughout the approach and touchdown.
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