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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 · 16 stages, 14 scored
Events
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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 for a circuit: five checks where the approach path is 500 ft above the runway. The 1,000 ft gate is an instrument-approach check and does not apply.
The approach, gate by gate
Side view — the last 1,053 m of the approach.
Plan view — the full 1,053 m runway, to the same scale as the side view.
The 155 m touchdown sits inside the full-score zone. The arrival was smooth.
The rest of the report
The flight began with a departure roll from runway 06 at 4N1 Greenwood Lake. The Cessna Skyhawk took off with a takeoff distance of 221 meters, which accounted for 21% of the runway. The liftoff speed was 52 knots, and the aircraft was able to lift off the ground quickly.
As the aircraft entered the traffic pattern, it followed a right-hand pattern entry from runway 06. The distance covered during this phase was less than 1 nautical mile in 17 seconds. The right-hand pattern crosswind leg took a bit longer, with the aircraft covering less than 1 nautical mile in 34 seconds.
The pilot then initiated a pattern downwind turn, which involved a turn of 45 degrees to align with the runway. This turn covered a distance of 1 nautical mile. The downwind leg itself was 2 nautical miles long and took 70 seconds to complete. The pilot then turned onto the base leg, which was a 2-nautical-mile turn with an angle of 48.9 degrees to the runway.
The base leg was completed in 47 seconds, and the final turn was initiated shortly after. This final turn was less than 1 nautical mile long and took 51 seconds to complete. The aircraft then began its final approach to runway 06 from the southwest, heading 47.0 degrees at 1 nautical mile and 368 feet above ground level.
The landing was successful, with the aircraft touching down on the runway at a speed of 48 knots. The touchdown distance was good at 153 meters, and the touchdown rate was also good at -178 feet per minute. However, the runway touchdown position was slightly misaligned by 4.2 meters from the centerline.
The local weather conditions during the landing were different from those during takeoff, with a temperature of 20 degrees Celsius and a wind speed of 3 knots from 219 degrees. The crosswind was negligible, but the aircraft was experiencing a tailwind of 3 knots. The total landing distance was 318 meters, which accounted for 30% of the runway. The runway rollout alignment was very good, indicating that the pilot had maintained control of the aircraft throughout the landing.
The total flight distance was 7 nautical miles, and the flight took 9 minutes to complete. The aircraft used a total of -2 kilograms of fuel during the flight.
The Cessna Skyhawk successfully landed at 4N1 Greenwood Lake, achieving a score of 95.7%. The aircraft approached the runway from the southwest, heading 47.0° at 1 nautical mile and 368 feet above ground level (agl). The pilot maintained a good threshold height, which is a crucial aspect of a safe landing.
Upon touchdown, the aircraft's threshold speed was slightly below the target speed of 53 knots, but this did not significantly impact the overall performance of the landing. The touchdown distance of 153 meters was considered good, indicating that the pilot had sufficient control over the aircraft's descent. The touchdown speed of 48 knots was also within acceptable limits, and the touchdown rate of -178 feet per minute (fpm) was good, suggesting a smooth and controlled landing.
However, there was a slight misalignment of the runway touchdown position, with the aircraft touching down 4.2 meters off the centerline. This may be attributed to the pilot's judgment of the wind conditions, as the crosswind was negligible, but there was a slight tailwind of 3 knots. The local weather conditions, with a temperature of 20°C and a wind speed of 3 knots at 219°, did not pose any significant challenges to the landing.
The total landing distance of 318 meters was 30% of the runway length, which is a relatively short distance. This indicates that the pilot had good control over the aircraft's speed and descent rate. The runway rollout alignment was very good, suggesting that the pilot had maintained control of the aircraft during the rollout phase.
Overall, the Cessna Skyhawk's landing at 4N1 Greenwood Lake was a successful one, with the pilot demonstrating good control and judgment throughout the approach and landing phases. The slight misalignment of the touchdown position was the only notable deviation from an otherwise excellent performance.
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