Takeoff and Landing App

[dtoelke]

Does anybody know of a good takeoff and landing distance calculator for the iPad?  I've seen a few around but none seem to have Mooney data (only one I saw was the M20M).  If one doesn't exist I would consider designing one myself if there was enough interest to justify the time.  If people contributed scans of the POH pages I would be able to digitize the data for any of the models.

[carusoam]

We have a thread about some work on this subject....

Unable to find it though...

Best regards,

-a-

[dtoelke]

No luck on my end either.  Anybody, thoughts?

[Awqward]

This is something I am actually working on at the moment....an app for takeoff, landing and cruise performance amongst other things...hopefully I'll have a working app for testing in a month or so...

[lukejb]

I downloaded an app for Ipad called CFI Tools.  It gives you a 30 day free subscription. It has a data bank of several aircraft including several Mooney variants.   It will load all Metar information for the airport you choose and allow you to adjust weight accordingly then calculate takeoff and landing distances for the specific runways at that airport.  I have liked it so far and may go ahead and purchase it.  

[carusoam]

Luke,

What is the price for the CFI tools?

I would be interested in a copy.

It would need to be as accurate as my POH.

And more human error free than my PIC.

Best regards,

-a-

[lukejb]

Well it is free for 30 days. After that $2.99 for one month or $24.99 for a year. It seems to be accurate compared to POH for the Piper Arrow. I have not loaded my Mooney on it and compared to POH. I emailed the guy that developed the app and he explained that he formulates everything based on the POH for each specific aircraft. The POH for the Arrow that i have been flying had no wind variable information for calculating wind into the take off and landing distances so i went looking for an app that would calculate wind thinking that this was just a page that was lost from the POH. When i found the app and tried it out It also did not calculate wind into eqiation and developer explained that Piper never provided that information for the Arrow ii so he had know way of loading in a formula. I did notice that wind calculation is included for the M20J and i would assume that it would be accurate compared to the POH but i do still need to compare it...... If you search cfi tools in apps it should pull it up.

[PaulB]

I think it was Bob - S50 that wrote an html document for the J that does the take off calculations and weight and balance. I use it all the time. It's great. You could probably adapt it to other models with a little work

[Houman]

It would be nice if it was added to ForeFlight, since now I do my W&B trough that... and since I plan my flights using it, and it has all the airport information and conditions, it should be a big plus for the app to add this feature...

[PaulB]

That would be a nice addition and I bet it would really reduce high DA accidents in the summer. Might be a challenge to get all the different planes in there though.

[DonMuncy]

I think you guys are a lot better pilots than I am. If I calculated that I can take off in 1600 feet and I was on a 1610 foot runway, I would be taking out seats, off loading a bunch of fuel and waiting for cold weather, and probably still try to find someone else to fly it out.

Even more, if I found the calculation said I can land in 1600 feet, and there was a 1650 foot runway, I would instantly go somewhere else.

[StinkBug]

I'd definitely be interested in a simple to use app where I could enter my W&B info and weather conditions and have it do the math for me. I've already got a good W&B app where you can enter the profiles of any plane, but the only calculation it does is for fuel burn and the change in W&B.

[StinkBug]

I think you guys are a lot better pilots than I am. If I calculated that I can take off in 1600 feet and I was on a 1610 foot runway, I would be taking out seats, off loading a bunch of fuel and waiting for cold weather, and probably still try to find someone else to fly it out.

Even more, if I found the calculation said I can land in 1600 feet, and there was a 1650 foot runway, I would instantly go somewhere else.

 

 

I'm with you, but if I'm looking at a 3000' runway I want to know if I'm gonna need 1000' or 2000' of it so I can make a go-nogo decision. You can set whatever safety margin makes you happy, but at the end of the day you still need to know what the required distance is so you can decide if you have that safety margin or not.

[ArtVandelay]

I think you guys are a lot better pilots than I am. If I calculated that I can take off in 1600 feet and I was on a 1610 foot runway, I would be taking out seats, off loading a bunch of fuel and waiting for cold weather, and probably still try to find someone else to fly it out.

Even more, if I found the calculation said I can land in 1600 feet, and there was a 1650 foot runway, I would instantly go somewhere else.

Using my 50% rule, I probably would not land on anything less than 2500' except in a emergency

[Hank]

I learned at and was based on a 3000' field for seven years, never a problem. No flap takeoffs were standard, with no worry about the trees at the end. When loaded to gross, I'd use Takeoff flaps.

Used to visit a 2000' grass strip, no problem there with two people and half tanks, but never heavy. We visit a 3500' grass strip at the beach, loaded close to gross except for the fuel burned off, no problems there either (no fuel available).

My parents live near a 2770 x 30 strip, angled slightly uphill one way. My only problem there was my night landing last fall, there were only runway lights on one side of the runway. So I flew by, looked, circled around and just before flare saw that I was on the wrong side of the lights, so I went around; my landing uphill on the asphalt was as unremarkable as my departure coming home.

Last night when picking up the plane from annual, the runway was 7000' and I was > 600 agl by the end of it, although I really couldn't see it over the nose so I'm just guessing where it was.

Learn your plane. If I'm still on the ground at the 1000' marker (when they are there!), I'm either loaded for vacation, taking 4 people to dinner, or something isn't right.

Apps are probably very good learning tools for those based at long fields with no little brown numbers or fancy white stripes. Find one that you like, test it at various weights and remember that the takeoff run will always be longer in the summer. The point is to learn what your plane does, what it can do, and notice when something is wrong so that it can get corrected.

Fly safe out there!

[carusoam]

Don,

You are too good for this... (I mean this in a complimentary sense)

There are pilots that add a huge safety factor on top of adding another safety factor for their chart and math skills...

And there are those that don't know the importance of density altitude yet...

Probably the same guys that add chunks of extra speed to the final approach A/S...

I see some improvements available....

(1) Calculate real POH values using real airport conditions data.

(2) Add proven safety factor for your plane and pilot.

(3) Adjust safety factor using logic and a measuring tool such as CloudAhoy.

(4) Add flaps and AOA...

[DonMuncy]

Carusoam,

You are right. I have flown my plane enough, and I know my own abilities (or lack thereof) to know when I look at the runway length of my destination/departure, I know how much I am going to pucker or how careful I need to be to make it work. Yes, I am one of those who doubles the distances necessary.

And I admit that more information and more accurate information is better than less.

So I hope my ill advised, generalized statements do not deter anyone from paying careful attention to the factors and figures necessary to properly plan take-offs and landings.

[csarles]

Can you please post a link to the M20M one?

Curt

[Bob - S50]

I think you guys are a lot better pilots than I am. If I calculated that I can take off in 1600 feet and I was on a 1610 foot runway, I would be taking out seats, off loading a bunch of fuel and waiting for cold weather, and probably still try to find someone else to fly it out.

Even more, if I found the calculation said I can land in 1600 feet, and there was a 1650 foot runway, I would instantly go somewhere else.

 

Personally, I want a runway that is at least 2400 or 2500 feet long and at least 50% longer than the POH takeoff distance.

 

Bob