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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.
The approach, gate by gate
Side view — the last 1,274 m of the approach.
Plan view — the full 1,274 m runway, to the same scale as the side view.
The 347 m touchdown sits inside the full-score zone. The arrival was smooth.
The rest of the report
The flight began with a taxiing period from the parking to the runway, which took 8 minutes and covered less than 1 nautical mile. The aircraft, a Kodiak 100, then departed from runway 01 at PATK Talkeetna Airport. The takeoff distance was 543 meters, which accounted for 51% of the runway. The liftoff speed was 88 knots.
After takeoff, the aircraft entered a level cruise, starting 3 miles northeast of Talkeetna. This phase of the flight lasted 4 minutes and covered 9 nautical miles. The aircraft then began a climb, starting 3 miles southeast of 3AK3 Songlo Vista Airport, and reached an altitude of 2,326 feet above sea level, an increase of 830 feet in 2 minutes and covering 4 nautical miles.
The aircraft continued with another level cruise, starting 2 miles northeast of 3AK3 Songlo Vista Airport, which lasted 14 minutes and covered 37 nautical miles. A subsequent climb started 15 miles southwest of PAST Summit Airport Cantwell, and the aircraft reached an altitude of 3,806 feet above sea level, an increase of 1,500 feet in 3 minutes and covering 8 nautical miles.
The aircraft then entered another level cruise, starting 7 miles southwest of PAST Summit Airport Cantwell, which lasted 46 minutes and covered 75 nautical miles. A descent started 13 miles southeast of PAMH Minchumina Airport, and the aircraft descended from 3,624 feet above sea level to 3,130 feet above sea level, a decrease of 494 feet in 2 minutes and covering 4 nautical miles.
The aircraft continued with another level cruise, starting 9 miles southeast of PAMH Minchumina Airport, which lasted 3 minutes and covered 9 nautical miles. A subsequent descent started 5 miles south of PAMH Minchumina Airport, and the aircraft descended from 2,943 feet above sea level to 1,915 feet above sea level, a decrease of 1,028 feet in 2 minutes and covering 3 nautical miles.
The final approach to runway 02 at PAHM Minchumina was from the southwest, with a heading of 47.0 degrees at 3 nautical miles and 1,205 feet above ground level. The landing was successful, with a touchdown distance of 346 meters, which was good. The touchdown speed was slightly above the target at 73 knots, but the touchdown rate was excellent at -70 feet per minute. The runway touchdown alignment was perfect.
The local weather conditions at the time of landing were a temperature of 4 degrees Celsius, with a wind speed of 1 knot at 27 degrees. The crosswind was 0 knots, and the headwind was 1 knot. The total landing distance was 650 meters, which accounted for 51% of the runway. The runway rollout alignment was also perfect.
The taxiing period from the runway to the parking took less than 1 minute and covered less than 1 nautical mile. The total flight distance was 158 nautical miles, which was covered in 82 minutes, and the aircraft used 252 kilograms of fuel.
The aircraft in question, a Kodiak 100, successfully landed at PAHM Minchumina with a score of 99.2%. The final approach was conducted from the southwest, heading 47.0° at a distance of 3 nautical miles and an altitude of 1,205 feet above ground level (agl). The aircraft was on a direct course for runway 02, which has a length of 1,274 meters.
Upon touchdown, the threshold height was reported as good, but the threshold speed was slightly above the target speed of 72 kt, coming in at 73 kt. However, the touchdown distance of 346 meters was considered good, indicating a smooth and controlled descent. The touchdown speed of 64 kt was a little fast, but this did not seem to have a significant impact on the overall performance of the landing.
The touchdown rate of -70 feet per minute (fpm) was excellent, demonstrating a high degree of control and precision during the landing. The runway touchdown alignment was perfect, indicating that the aircraft was well-aligned with the runway centerline at the moment of touchdown.
The local weather conditions at the time of the landing were relatively calm, with a temperature of 4°C and a wind speed of 1 kt from a direction of 27°. This resulted in a negligible crosswind component and a slight headwind of 1 kt. The total landing distance of 650 meters was 51% of the runway length, which is a relatively short distance considering the aircraft's size and weight.
Finally, the runway rollout alignment was perfect, indicating that the aircraft maintained its alignment with the runway centerline throughout the rollout phase. Overall, the landing was considered a success, with the aircraft performing well in a variety of conditions.
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