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MY FS FLIGHTS
Flight Score
Avoid steep turns at low altitude
Below a thousand feet the aeroplane is slow, heavy and close to the ground. A steep turn loses lift, raises the stall speed and flattens the climb just when the gradient matters most. A normal turn on course is a rate one — fifteen degrees or so, twenty-five at the outside, this penalty is to acknowledge when a turn has stopped being a turn and become a manoeuvre.
Read more in Improve Your Take-OffsStart to finish · 13 stages, 12 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 3,253 ft of the approach.
Plan view — the full 3,253 ft runway, to the same scale as the side view.
The 389 ft touchdown sits inside the full-score zone. The arrival was smooth.
The rest of the report
The flight began with a departure roll from runway 14 at KPLN Pellston Regional Airport of Emmet County Airport. The Beechcraft A36 Bonanza took off with a takeoff distance of 606 ft, which was 9% of the runway. The liftoff speed was 82 kt. At the time of departure, the local weather conditions were characterized by a temperature of 59 °F and a wind speed of 6 kt at 270°, resulting in a crosswind of 4 kt and a tailwind of 4 kt.
As the aircraft climbed away from the airport, it began its enroute climb, which started overhead KPLN Pellston Regional Airport. The climb took the aircraft from an altitude of 1,202 ft asl to 1,644 ft asl, an increase of 442 ft in just 1 minute, covering a distance of 2 nm. Following the climb, the aircraft entered a level cruise, which lasted for 5 minutes and covered a distance of 8 nm. This cruise phase took place 3 miles south of KPLN Pellston Regional Airport.
The enroute descent phase began overhead KMGN Harbor Springs Airport, where the aircraft descended from an altitude of 1,937 ft asl to 997 ft asl, a decrease of 940 ft in 2 minutes, covering a distance of 1 nm. The final approach to runway 28 at KMGN Harbor Springs Airport was made from the east, with a heading of 276.0° at 1 nm and an altitude of 313 ft agl.
The landing on runway 28 was successful, with a touchdown distance of 385 ft, which was good. The touchdown speed was 60 kt, and the touchdown rate was smooth at -116 fpm. The runway touchdown alignment was perfect, and the runway rollout alignment was also perfect. The local weather conditions at the time of landing were characterized by a temperature of 59 °F and a wind speed of 6 kt at 270°, resulting in a crosswind of 1 kt and a headwind of 6 kt.
Following the landing, the aircraft taxied to the parking area from the runway, taking less than 1 minute and covering a distance of less than 1 nm. The total flight distance was 14 nm, and the flight duration was 9 minutes. The aircraft used 12 lbs of fuel during the flight.
The Beechcraft A36 Bonanza successfully landed at KMGN Harbor Springs Airport, achieving a perfect score of 100.0%. The aircraft approached the runway from the east, heading 276.0° at 1 nm and 313 ft above ground level (agl). The pilot demonstrated excellent control and precision during the final approach, setting up for a smooth touchdown on runway 28.
The runway at KMGN Harbor Springs Airport has a length of 3,253 ft, providing ample space for the aircraft to land safely. The threshold height was good, indicating that the pilot maintained a suitable altitude before touching down. However, the threshold speed was slightly below the target at 66 kt, which may have been a minor deviation from the ideal approach speed.
Upon touchdown, the aircraft performed well, with a touchdown distance of 385 ft and a speed of 60 kt. The touchdown rate was smooth at -116 fpm, indicating a controlled descent and minimal impact on the aircraft's landing gear. The runway touchdown alignment was perfect, demonstrating the pilot's skill and attention to detail.
The local weather conditions at the time of landing were favorable, with a temperature of 59°F and a gentle wind of 6 kt from 270°. The crosswind component was minimal at 1 kt, while the headwind component was 6 kt, which helped to reduce the aircraft's ground speed and make the landing more manageable.
The total landing distance was 1,070 ft, which is only 33% of the runway length. This indicates that the pilot was able to bring the aircraft to a stop quickly and efficiently, with a perfect runway rollout alignment. Overall, the landing was a textbook example of precision and control, showcasing the pilot's expertise and the aircraft's capabilities.
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