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MY FS FLIGHTS
Flight Score
Work on the flare
Arrive slow and the sink rate at the threshold is already above schedule, the flare is short because there is no energy to extend it, and the touchdown is hard in a way that feels exactly like a late flare. Diagnosing a slow arrival as a late flare is the catastrophic misread: you respond by flaring earlier, which bleeds more speed, which makes the next one worse. The tiebreaker is threshold speed against VRef, not feel. Never diagnose a flare without it.
Read more in Flare TimingStart to finish · 16 stages, 15 scored
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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.
At the 500 ft gate: sink rate above what the glideslope needed and off the runway's 3° glideslope.
The approach, gate by gate
Side view — the last 6,023 ft of the approach.
Plan view — the first 6,023 ft of the 9,005 ft runway, to the same scale as the side view.
Touched down 5,623 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 30 at Mojave Airport (KMHV), where the aircraft, a DC Designs F4 Blue Angels, took off with a takeoff distance of 3,256 feet, which is 30% of the runway. The liftoff speed was 186 knots. The local weather conditions at the time of departure were characterized by a temperature of 68 degrees Fahrenheit and a wind speed of 1 knot from a direction of 269 degrees, resulting in a negligible crosswind and headwind.
As the aircraft climbed away from Mojave, it began its enroute climb 1 mile north of the airport, rising from an altitude of 3,186 feet above sea level to 7,869 feet above sea level, an increase of 4,683 feet in just 3 minutes, while covering a distance of 20 nautical miles. The aircraft then leveled off and began a level cruise 7 miles northwest of Keene, California, lasting for 2 minutes and covering 10 nautical miles.
The flight then continued with a series of enroute climbs and descents, with the aircraft climbing from 1,438 feet above sea level to 2,584 feet above sea level in 2 minutes, covering 13 nautical miles, and then leveling off and cruising for 2 minutes, covering 12 nautical miles. The aircraft continued to climb, rising from 2,839 feet above sea level to 5,498 feet above sea level in 2 minutes, covering 18 nautical miles.
As the aircraft approached its destination, it began its final descent, descending from 5,802 feet above sea level to 2,325 feet above sea level in 2 minutes, covering 15 nautical miles. The aircraft then began its final climb, rising from 2,325 feet above sea level to 2,939 feet above sea level in 2 minutes, covering 10 nautical miles.
The final approach to runway 32 at KNID China Lake Naws (Armitage Field) Airport was made from the southeast, with the aircraft heading 334.0 degrees at 1 nautical mile and 636 feet above ground level. The landing was made on runway 32, which has a length of 9,005 feet. The threshold height was good, but the threshold speed was too high at 246 knots.
The touchdown point was very long, using more than 50% of the available runway, and the touchdown speed was a little fast at 204 knots. The touchdown rate was hard at -410 feet per minute, but the runway touchdown alignment was perfect. The local weather conditions at the time of landing were characterized by a temperature of 62 degrees Fahrenheit and a wind speed of 1 knot from a direction of 287 degrees, resulting in a negligible crosswind and headwind.
The total flight distance was 110 nautical miles, and the flight took 15 minutes to complete, using -17 pounds of fuel.
The DC Designs F4 Blue Angels aircraft successfully landed at KNID China Lake Naws (Armitage Field) Airport, but the landing was not without its issues. The final approach to runway 32 from the south east, heading 334.0° at 1 nm and 636 ft above ground level (agl), was executed, but the touchdown was not ideal.
The aircraft landed on the runway, which has a length of 9,005 ft, but the touchdown point was very long, using more than 50% of the available runway. This indicates that the pilot may have been a bit too aggressive with the approach, or the aircraft may have been experiencing some issues with its descent rate. The threshold speed was also too high at 246 kt, which is above the recommended speed for landing.
The touchdown speed of 204 kt was a little fast, and the touchdown rate was hard at -410 fpm. A hard touchdown rate can be a concern, as it can put excessive stress on the aircraft's landing gear and other components. However, the runway touchdown alignment was perfect, which is a good sign.
The local weather conditions at the time of the landing were favorable, with a temperature of 62°F and a wind of 1 kt at 287°. The crosswind and headwind were both minimal, at 1 kt each, which made the landing conditions relatively easy.
Overall, while the landing was not perfect, it was still a successful one. The pilot will need to work on improving the approach and touchdown speeds to ensure a smoother and more controlled landing.
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