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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 · 16 stages, 15 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 4,563 ft of the approach.
Plan view — the full 4,563 ft runway, to the same scale as the side view.
The 1,289 ft touchdown sits inside the full-score zone. The arrival was smooth.
The rest of the report
The flight began with a Beechcraft A36 Bonanza taxiing from the parking area to the runway at KPQI Presque Isle International Airport, taking 12 minutes and covering a distance of 1 nautical mile. The aircraft then departed from runway 19, with a takeoff distance of 883 feet, which was 12% of the runway length. The liftoff speed was 94 knots.
As the aircraft climbed, it started at an altitude of 1,335 feet above sea level, 1 mile southwest of Presque Isle, and reached an altitude of 2,707 feet above sea level, an increase of 1,372 feet, in just 1 minute, covering a distance of 3 nautical miles. The enroute climb was followed by a level cruise, which started 1 mile east of Presque Isle and lasted for 13 minutes, covering a distance of 41 nautical miles.
The aircraft then began its descent, starting 1 mile southeast of Clair, New Brunswick, Canada, and descended from 2,686 feet above sea level to 2,235 feet above sea level, a decrease of 452 feet, in 2 minutes, covering a distance of 4 nautical miles. Following the descent, the aircraft entered another level cruise, which started 2 miles north of Fort Kent, Maine, and lasted for 4 minutes, covering a distance of 8 nautical miles.
The final approach to runway 14 at KFVE Northern Aroostook Regional Airport was made from the west, with a heading of 115.0 degrees, at an altitude of 866 feet above ground level, and a distance of 4 nautical miles from the runway. The landing was successful, with a touchdown distance of 1,282 feet, a touchdown speed of 65 knots, and a touchdown rate of -46 feet per minute, which was perfect. The runway touchdown alignment was also perfect.
The local weather conditions at the time of landing were a temperature of 11 degrees Fahrenheit, with a wind speed of 4 knots at 150 degrees, resulting in a crosswind of 2 knots and a headwind of 3 knots. The total flight distance was 63 nautical miles, taking 26 minutes, and the aircraft used 53 pounds of fuel during the flight.
The Beechcraft A36 Bonanza successfully landed at KFVE Northern Aroostook Regional Airport, achieving a remarkable score of 99.5%. The aircraft approached the runway from the west, heading 115.0° at a distance of 4 nautical miles and an altitude of 866 feet above ground level (agl). This precise approach was a testament to the pilot's skill and experience.
Upon landing, the aircraft touched down on runway 14, which has a length of 4,563 feet. The threshold height was good, indicating that the pilot maintained a safe altitude before touchdown. The threshold speed, however, was above the target speed of 84 kt, suggesting that the pilot may have been able to flare the aircraft more smoothly to achieve a more precise touchdown.
The touchdown distance of 1,282 feet was within acceptable limits, and the touchdown speed of 65 kt was also good. The most impressive aspect of the landing was the touchdown rate, which was a perfect -46 fpm. This indicates that the pilot was able to control the aircraft's descent and touchdown with great precision, minimizing the impact on the runway.
The runway touchdown alignment was also perfect, demonstrating the pilot's ability to maintain a stable and controlled approach. The local weather conditions at the time of the landing were relatively calm, with a temperature of 11°F and a wind speed of 4 kt from 150°. The crosswind component was minimal at 2 kt, and the headwind component was 3 kt, which likely contributed to the smooth and controlled landing.
Overall, the Beechcraft A36 Bonanza's landing at KFVE Northern Aroostook Regional Airport was a textbook example of a well-executed approach and landing. The pilot's skill and experience were evident in every aspect of the landing, from the approach to the touchdown.
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