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MY FS FLIGHTS
Flight Score
Keep the approach speed on target
Every knot above Vref is stored kinetic energy, and energy stored at the threshold must be dissipated in ground effect before the aeroplane will stop flying. Because kinetic energy scales with the square of speed, the excess you must dissipate grows fast. At a 45-knot approach, five knots hot is over a tenth more speed and roughly a quarter more energy to get rid of in ground effect. This is why the fix is never in the flare. It was decided three miles earlier, on final, at the airspeed indicator.
Read more in VRef ExplainedStart to finish · 12 stages, 10 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 1,524 m of the approach.
Plan view — the full 1,524 m runway, to the same scale as the side view.
The 15 m touchdown sits inside the full-score zone.
The rest of the report
Taxiing from the parking area to the runway at Heraklion International Nikos Kazantzakis Airport (LGIR) was a swift process, taking less than a minute to cover the short distance of less than 1 nautical mile. The aircraft then began its departure roll on runway 27, accelerating to a liftoff speed of 115 knots. The takeoff distance of 878 meters accounted for 39% of the available runway length, a testament to the aircraft's efficient performance. Local weather conditions at the time of departure were characterized by a temperature of 16°C, with a gentle headwind of 1 knot at 270°.
As the aircraft climbed out of Heraklion, it began its enroute climb phase, reaching an altitude of 3,404 feet above sea level (asl) after a 2-minute climb from 655 ft asl. This ascent covered a distance of 7 nautical miles, with a total increase in altitude of 2,749 feet. The aircraft then entered a level cruise phase, maintaining an altitude of 3,404 ft asl for 2 minutes while covering a further 6 nautical miles. A second enroute climb phase began overhead Kastelli, with the aircraft ascending to 5,855 ft asl after a 3-minute climb from 3,247 ft asl. This climb covered a distance of 11 nautical miles, with a total increase in altitude of 2,608 feet.
The final approach to landing was initiated 5 miles west of Males, with the aircraft descending from 1 nautical mile to 1 nautical mile at an altitude of 281 feet above ground level (agl). Touchdown occurred at a speed of 64 knots, with a touchdown rate of -5,719 feet per minute (fpm) and a touchdown distance of 4 meters. The landing rollout was completed in a distance of 8 meters, with the aircraft maintaining an altitude of 5,574 ft asl. The total flight distance was 25 nautical miles, with a total flight time of 7 minutes and a fuel consumption of 0 kilograms.
The aircraft touched down on ground 5 miles west of Males, Crete, Greece, with a speed of 64 knots, meeting the desired touchdown speed. The approach quality was satisfactory, with the aircraft maintaining a steady descent from 281 feet above ground level to touchdown. The threshold speed was slightly below the recommended value, but the touchdown characteristics were good, with a short touchdown distance of 4 meters.
However, the touchdown rate was heavy, at -5,719 feet per minute, indicating a significant deceleration upon touchdown. The aircraft's centreline alignment was maintained throughout the rollout, with a distance of 8 meters covered from the point of touchdown to the point where the aircraft came to a stop. The landing rollout was conducted at an altitude of 5,574 feet above sea level, with the aircraft eventually coming to rest.
The overall performance of the landing was satisfactory, with a score of 67.7%. The local weather conditions, with a temperature of 16 degrees Celsius and a wind speed of 1 knot from 283 degrees, contributed to a relatively straightforward landing. The pilot's ability to maintain control and navigate the aircraft to a safe touchdown was evident, despite the heavy touchdown rate.
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