Charts

Charts

Pilots use performance charts to estimate how their airplane will perform in certain conditions. Knowing how to use performance charts is especially vital when operating in unfamiliar environmental conditions. For example, a pilot used to flying at sea level needs to be well-versed in performance charts when she flies in a high-altitude mountainous environment.

Lesson Notes

Performance charts usually display information in either tables or graphs. Often, pilots will need to interpolate between values, or round conservatively to arrive at safe performance numbers.

Common performance charts for light training airplanes include:

• Takeoff distance ground roll
• Takeoff distance over a 50 foot obstacle
• Time, fuel and distance to climb
• Cruise power setting, time and fuel
• Landing distance ground roll
• Landing distance over a 50 foot obstacle

Performance charts usually have notes associated with them that include information like whether taxi fuel is included in time, fuel and distance to climb or what aircraft configuration is used for takeoff distance over a 50 foot obstacle. Pay attention to the notes on performance charts, and take your time. And practice often. Make up scenarios using your airplane. How much distance is needed to takeoff over a 50 foot obstacle at a 6,000 foot density altitude? What if there’s a ten knot tailwind? What if it’s 4,000 foot density altitude with an 8 knot tailwind?

Practice Questions

1. Using the Takeoff Performance Table, what is the takeoff distance over a 50 foot obstacle under the following conditions?

• Paved runway
• Max takeoff weight
• 3,000 foot pressure altitude
• 9 knots headwind
• 25°C

2. Using the Takeoff Performance Graph, what is the takeoff distance over a 50 foot obstacle under the following conditions?

• 2,600 lbs
• 6,000 foot density altitude
• Winds calm

3. Using the Takeoff Performance Graph, what is the takeoff distance over a 50 foot obstacle under the following conditions?

• 2,300 lbs
• 1,000 foot density altitude
• 5 knot tailwind

Additional Resources

• Performance Handout
• Rules of Thumb Handout
• Takeoff Performance Table
• Takeoff Performance Graph
• Landing Performance Graph

Review Questions

• What is interpolation?
• When interpolating with temperature, is it better to round up or round down?
• When dealing with pressure altitudes, is it better to round up or round down?
• When it comes to headwind, is it better to round up or round down? What about with tailwind?
• Must a pilot reference a takeoff and landing distance chart every time they fly? Why not?

Practice Question Answers

1. 2,149 feet
2. ~1,800 feet
3. ~1,400 feet