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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 1,524 m of the approach.
Plan view — the first 1,524 m of the 2,990 m runway, to the same scale as the side view.
The 270 m touchdown sits inside the full-score zone. The arrival was smooth.
The rest of the report
The flight started with a departure roll on runway 09 at the Gibraltar Airport (LXGB). The aircraft in question was the Van's RV-10, a high-performance single-engine plane. The aircraft accelerated and lifted off the ground at a speed of 70 knots, utilizing only 8% of the 126 meters of runway available for takeoff.
Initial climbs started overflying Gibraltar, where the aircraft began ascending from a ground elevation of 956 feet. It climbed to a height of 6,254 feet in a span of 10 minutes, covering a distance of 15 nautical miles. This initial climb phase was significant, as the aircraft increased its altitude by an impressive 5,298 feet.
Following the enroute climb, the aircraft transitioned to level cruise conditions 1 mile south east of Tarifa in Spain. It maintained this altitude for 5 minutes, navigating through the skies for a distance of 8 nautical miles. Although the duration of this cruise phase was relatively short, it showcased the aircraft's steady performance in level flight.
The next phase of the flight involved descent, commencing 2 miles south west of the AG16 Amphibious Ready Group located over the Gibraltar Strait. The aircraft descended from an altitude of 7,233 feet to 1,330 feet in a span of 7 minutes, covering a distance of 12 nautical miles. This descent phase, though rapid, highlighted the Van's RV-10's ability to safely decrease altitude in a controlled manner.
From this point, the aircraft entered another level cruise phase 2 miles north east of the GMTT Tangier Ibn Battuta Airport, a major international airport in Morocco. During this 2-minute cruise, the aircraft navigated through 3 nautical miles of the surrounding airspace. Following this, the aircraft transitioned to descent mode once again, this time beginning 2 miles north west of the Tangier Airport.
The descent phase, which started with the aircraft at an altitude of 1,603 feet, decreased to an elevation of 318 feet in only 3 minutes, covering a short distance of 2 nautical miles. This descent phase effectively concluded the aircraft's initial leg, with its destination airport now in sight.
The final approach to runway 10 at the GMTT Tangier Ibn Battuta Airport was from a westward heading, with the aircraft situated 1 nautical mile from the target area and at an altitude of 274 feet above ground level.
Upon reaching the threshold speed, which was slightly below target at 64 knots, the aircraft landed smoothly on the designated runway 10. With a touchdown distance of 267 meters, touchdown speed at 51 knots, and an excellent touchdown rate of -74 feet per minute, the landing was deemed successful. Moreover, the runway alignment at touchdown was perfect.
At this point, the flight reached its conclusion, having successfully covered 42 nautical miles over the course of 28 minutes and burning approximately 24 kilograms of fuel. Throughout this comprehensive journey, the pilots maintained a watchful eye on the aircraft, responding diligently to changes in local weather and flight circumstances.
The aircraft involved in the landing is the Van's RV-10. This small, single-engine plane is designed for private use and is a popular choice among homebuilders and pilots. For this specific flight, the pilot achieved an impressive score of 99.4%, demonstrating exceptional skills and control.
The approach was initiated with the aircraft flying towards the west, at a distance of 1 nautical mile from the runway and 274 feet above ground level. The heading was set at 97.0 degrees, indicating a precise navigation of the aircraft towards the runway. The pilot then executed a seamless final approach, culminating in a smooth touchdown on runway 10 at GMTT Tangier Ibn Battuta Airport.
The runway itself has a length of 2,990 meters, providing ample space for the aircraft to touch down safely. During the landing, the pilot maintained a good threshold height, ensuring the aircraft was at the correct altitude as it approached the runway. The threshold speed was slightly below the target at 64 knots, which, however, did not pose any challenges for the pilot.
The key statistics for this landing highlight the pilot's exceptional skillset. The touchdown distance was an impressive 267 meters, showcasing the pilot's ability to control the aircraft's speed and distance as it landed. Furthermore, the touchdown speed was a mere 51 knots, confirming the pilot's mastery over the aircraft's descent and velocity. Most notably, the touchdown rate was an exceptional -74 feet per minute, demonstrating the pilot's skill in controlling the aircraft's rate of descent.
The local weather conditions during the landing were mild, with a temperature of 20°C and light winds. A headwind of 5 knots from a direction of 80 degrees supported the aircraft's landing, eliminating any crosswind challenges. However, there was a slight headwind component of 5 kt. The minimal crosswind and headwind speeds allowed the pilot to focus on executing a precise landing, resulting in a perfect runway touchdown alignment.
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