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MY FS FLIGHTS
Flight Score
Shorten the long landing
Ground effect becomes significant below about one wingspan of height. A Cessna 172, with a 36 ft span, enters ground effect at flare height - the float it feels in the hold-off is ground effect arriving on cue. An A320, with a span around 117 ft, has been in ground effect since before the threshold and there is no sudden cushion to feel, only a gradual reduction in induced drag that lengthens any float you allow.
Read more in Flare TimingStart to finish · 20 stages, 18 scored
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The threshold, the flare and the hold-off. The approach that led to it is the stabilisation gates below.
Two stabilised approach gates, each with seven checks, where the approach path is 1,000 ft and 500 ft above the runway.
The approach, gate by gate
Side view — the last 1,524 m of the approach.
Plan view — the first 1,524 m of the 1,815 m runway, to the same scale as the side view.
The 268 m touchdown sits inside the full-score zone. The arrival was smooth.
The rest of the report
Departing from Auckland International Airport, the Airbus A320 began its journey by taxiing from the parking area to the runway, a process that took 11 minutes and covered a distance of 3 nautical miles. Upon reaching runway 05R, the aircraft initiated its departure roll, utilizing 1,465 meters, or 45% of the runway, to achieve liftoff at a speed of 153 knots. The local weather conditions at the time were characterized by a temperature of 22°C, with a negligible wind speed of 3 knots at 0°.
As the aircraft climbed out of Auckland, it began its enroute climb, ascending from an initial altitude of 937 feet above sea level to a cruising altitude of 36,001 feet, a vertical increase of 35,063 feet, over a distance of 106 nautical miles, in 16 minutes. The climb phase was followed by a series of level cruises, with the first commencing 18 miles southwest of Taharoa Aerodrome, lasting 9 minutes and covering 66 nautical miles. The aircraft then began its descent, initially from 36,013 feet to 3,036 feet, a decrease of 32,978 feet, over a distance of 127 nautical miles, in 21 minutes. A second level cruise phase, lasting 3 minutes and covering 7 nautical miles, occurred 17 miles south of Brooklyn, before the aircraft began its final descent, from 2,977 feet to 1,295 feet, a decrease of 1,683 feet, over a distance of 6 nautical miles, in 3 minutes.
The Airbus A320 then initiated its final approach to runway 34 at Wellington International Airport, aligning itself with the runway from the south, at a heading of 3.0°, 4 nautical miles from the threshold, and 1,255 feet above ground level. The aircraft landed on the runway, utilizing 269 meters of the available 1,815 meters, and touching down at a speed of 129 knots, slightly above the target speed. The touchdown rate was hard, at -400 feet per minute, but the runway touchdown alignment was very good. Following a total landing distance of 975 meters, or 54% of the runway, the aircraft taxied to the parking area, a process that took 3 minutes and covered less than 1 nautical mile. The total flight distance was 321 nautical miles, with a total flight time of 64 minutes, and the aircraft consumed 2,487 kilograms of fuel.
The aircraft touched down on runway 34 at NZWN Wellington International Airport with a good threshold height, allowing for a smooth transition from the approach to the touchdown phase. The threshold speed of 135 kt was slightly above the target, but still within acceptable limits. The aircraft's touchdown distance of 269 m was satisfactory, indicating a well-executed flare and touchdown.
However, the touchdown speed of 129 kt was a little fast, resulting in a hard touchdown rate of -400 fpm. Despite this, the runway touchdown alignment was very good, demonstrating the pilot's skill in maintaining the aircraft's centerline during the approach and touchdown phases. The local weather conditions, with a temperature of 18 °C and a headwind of 11 kt, contributed to a relatively smooth landing.
The aircraft's rollout was characterized by perfect alignment with the runway centerline, showcasing the pilot's ability to maintain control and stability during the critical phase of landing. The total landing distance of 975 m, which accounted for 54% of the runway length, was within acceptable limits. Overall, the landing was considered satisfactory, with a score of 97.0% reflecting the pilot's proficiency in executing a safe and controlled landing.
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