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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 · 21 stages, 19 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 9,313 ft runway, to the same scale as the side view.
Touched down 1,757 ft past the threshold — beyond the full-score zone. The arrival was smooth.
The rest of the report
The flight began with a departure roll from runway 01L at KADW Joint Base Andrews, utilizing the CJ Simulations R-Fal C 4IR Livery aircraft. The takeoff distance required was 921 feet, which accounted for 10% of the runway length. The aircraft lifted off at a speed of 132 knots, indicating a smooth and controlled departure.
As the aircraft climbed to altitude, it encountered local weather conditions with a temperature of 40°F and a wind speed of 8 knots from a direction of 270°. This resulted in a crosswind of 8 knots, but no headwind. The pilot navigated the aircraft to a final approach to runway 01L from the north, heading 216.0° at an altitude of 1 nautical mile and 962 feet above ground level.
However, the pilot decided to execute a go-around at an altitude of 4,247 feet above ground level. This decision was repeated at lower altitudes, with go-arounds at 162 feet and 14 feet above ground level. Eventually, the pilot successfully landed the aircraft on runway 01L, which had a length of 9,313 feet. The threshold height was good, and the threshold speed was also satisfactory at 130 knots.
The touchdown point was 378 feet beyond the touchdown zone, and the touchdown speed was 118 knots, which was considered good. However, the touchdown rate was fair at -212 feet per minute. The runway touchdown position was slightly misaligned by 19 feet from the centerline. The local weather conditions at the time of landing were a temperature of 41°F and a wind speed of 2 knots from a direction of 267°, resulting in a crosswind of 2 knots and no headwind.
The total landing distance was 3,538 feet, which accounted for 38% of the runway length. The runway rollout alignment was very good, indicating a smooth and controlled landing. The total flight distance was 8 nautical miles, and the flight duration was 6 minutes. The aircraft used 1,932 pounds of fuel during the flight.
The CJ Simulations R-Fal C 4IR Livery aircraft successfully landed on runway 01L at KADW Joint Base Andrews, a significant achievement considering the challenging conditions. The aircraft approached the runway from the north, heading 216.0° at 1 nm and 962 ft above ground level (agl), demonstrating precise navigation skills.
Upon landing, the aircraft touched down 378 ft beyond the touchdown zone, which, although not ideal, was still within a manageable distance. The touchdown speed of 118 kn was well within the target range, indicating a smooth and controlled descent. However, the touchdown rate of -212 fpm was only fair, suggesting that the aircraft could have benefited from a more gradual descent.
The runway touchdown position was slightly misaligned by 19 ft from the centreline, which may have been due to a slight deviation in the approach or a minor issue with the aircraft's alignment. Nevertheless, the runway rollout alignment was very good, indicating that the pilot maintained control and stability throughout the landing process.
The local weather conditions, with a temperature of 41°F and a wind speed of 2 kn at 267°, posed minimal challenges for the aircraft. The crosswind component was negligible, and the headwind was non-existent, allowing the pilot to focus on a smooth and controlled landing.
Overall, the landing was successful, with a total landing distance of 3,538 ft, which accounted for 38% of the runway length. While there were some minor issues with the touchdown point and touchdown rate, the pilot demonstrated excellent skills in navigating the aircraft to a safe and controlled landing.
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