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MY FS FLIGHTS
Flight Score
Improve the pattern base leg turn
Bank angle in the pattern is conventionally kept to 20 to 30 degrees, and the base-to-final turn is where that convention earns its keep. Stall speed rises with bank because the wing must produce more lift in a turn. Roughly 7 per cent higher at 30 degrees, about 19 per cent at 45, and around 40 per cent at 60. At 65 kt on base you don't have much margin to spend steepening a turn to salvage an overshoot.
Read more in Pattern WorkStart to finish · 16 stages, 14 scored
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One stabilised approach gate for a circuit: six checks at the point nearest 500 ft above the runway after the base turn. The 1,000 ft gate is an instrument-approach check and does not apply.
Side view — the last 5,403 ft of the approach.
Plan view — the first 5,403 ft of the 12,413 ft runway, to the same scale as the side view.
The 568 ft touchdown sits inside the full-score zone. The arrival was smooth.
The rest of the report
The B-2 Spirit aircraft departed from runway 01 at Whiteman Air Force Base, KSZL, with a takeoff distance of 3,149 feet, which is 25% of the runway length. The aircraft lifted off at a speed of 138 knots. The local weather conditions at the time of departure were a temperature of 38 degrees Fahrenheit, with a wind speed of 4 knots from a direction of 290 degrees. This resulted in a crosswind of 4 knots and a headwind of 1 knot.
After takeoff, the aircraft entered a left-hand pattern, which it completed in a short distance of less than 1 nautical mile in 9 seconds. The aircraft then turned onto the downwind leg, which was 2 nautical miles long and at an angle of 45 degrees to the runway. The downwind leg took 45 seconds to complete, covering a distance of 3 nautical miles. The aircraft then turned onto the base leg, which was also 3 nautical miles long and at an angle of 45 degrees to the runway. The base leg turn was completed with a very small angle to the runway, indicating a precise turn.
The aircraft then began its final approach to runway 01, flying from the south at a heading of 5.0 degrees and at an altitude of 950 feet above ground level. The aircraft landed on the runway, which was 12,413 feet long, with a threshold speed that was slightly above the target speed of 137 knots. The touchdown distance was good, at 574 feet, and the touchdown speed was also good, at 133 knots. The touchdown rate was firm, at -316 feet per minute.
The aircraft's runway touchdown position was slightly misaligned from the centreline, by 11 feet. The local weather conditions at the time of landing were a temperature of 36 degrees Fahrenheit, with a wind speed of 5 knots from a direction of 290 degrees. This resulted in a crosswind of 5 knots and a headwind of 1 knot. The total landing distance was 5,576 feet, which is 45% of the runway length. The runway rollout alignment was very good.
After landing, the aircraft taxied to the parking area, taking 4 minutes to cover a distance of less than 1 nautical mile. The total flight distance was 12 nautical miles, which was completed in 10 minutes. The aircraft used a total of 2,595 pounds of fuel during the flight.
The B-2 Spirit aircraft successfully landed at Whiteman Air Force Base's runway 01, achieving a score of 95.5%. The final approach was initiated from the south, heading 5.0° at a distance of 3 nautical miles and an altitude of 950 feet above ground level (agl). The aircraft's approach was characterized by a good threshold height, indicating that the pilot maintained a stable and controlled descent.
Upon touchdown, the aircraft's threshold speed was slightly above the target speed of 137 knots, but still within a safe margin. The touchdown distance of 574 feet was also considered good, indicating that the pilot had sufficient control over the aircraft's descent and landing. The touchdown speed of 133 knots was also within the acceptable range, and the touchdown rate of -316 feet per minute (fpm) was firm, suggesting a controlled and stable landing.
However, there was a slight misalignment of the runway touchdown position, with the aircraft touching down 11 feet off the centerline. This may be attributed to factors such as wind or pilot error, but it did not significantly impact the overall landing performance. The local weather conditions at the time of landing were characterized by a temperature of 36°F and a wind speed of 5 knots from 290°, resulting in a 5-knot crosswind and a 1-knot headwind.
The total landing distance of 5,576 feet was 45% of the runway length, which is a relatively short distance considering the aircraft's size and weight. The runway rollout alignment was very good, indicating that the pilot had excellent control over the aircraft's deceleration and directional control after touchdown. Overall, the landing was considered successful, with the pilot demonstrating good control and precision throughout the approach and landing phases.
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