Guide
What FOQA and a 0–100 landing score mean
FOQA means debriefing a flight from objective data rather than memory. In Flare it becomes a 0–100 score plus a breakdown by criterion. Here is what the score measures and when it is better left unshown.
What FOQA is and why it matters for simmers
FOQA (Flight Operations Quality Assurance) is the practice of reviewing flights from data to find systemic deviations. For a simmer it turns “that felt fine” into specific numbers and repeatable conclusions.
Flare computes basic values from a completed flight — from touchdown vertical speed to approach stabilisation — and shows them without raw telemetry.
What goes into a 0–100 landing score
The 0–100 score is a summary of several criteria, not a single number replacing the breakdown. Read it as a table of contents: it tells you where to look next.
Touchdown vertical speed (fpm)
The biggest contributor. A soft touchdown in a sensible range scores high; a firm one pulls it down.
Load factor (G)
Shows how smoothly the aircraft settled onto the runway. A sharp hit is visible separately from vertical speed.
Centerline deviation
The further from the centreline, the lower the score: it is both a risk and a sign of weak flare control.
Bounce
Lifting off again after touchdown is a clear negative: it points to high descent rate or an early flare.
Attitude and touchdown zone
A touchdown in the zone with a normal attitude scores higher than touching down well beyond it.
Approach stabilisation
Even a neat touchdown does not compensate for an unstable approach; the criterion accounts for that.
What BUTTER / GOOD / FIRM / HARD / CRASH mean
The scale runs from soft to hard: BUTTER is an exemplary touchdown, GOOD a confident one, FIRM noticeable but controlled, HARD a hard one, CRASH a dangerous one. It is a label for the debrief, not a verdict on the pilot.
Why a score is sometimes not shown
A score is honest only when there is enough data. If the recording stopped, telemetry in the touchdown window is missing, or the flight did not complete correctly, no score is shown — an explanation appears instead.
How to read a debrief of a specific landing
Open the flight and walk the criteria: vertical speed, load factor, centreline, bounce, touchdown zone. Compare with nearby landings on the same type and runway to see what changes from flight to flight.
AI landing debrief (by invitation)
The AI debrief explains an already computed score in plain language: what mattered most and what to watch next. It runs as v1 and is granted by invitation; its points rest on the same aggregated flight metrics.
FAQ
What is FOQA for a simmer?
It is a landing debrief built on objective flight metrics rather than a subjective feeling. The result is a score and a list of criteria.
Is the 0–100 score a single metric?
No, it combines several criteria: touchdown vertical speed, load factor, centreline, bounce, touchdown zone and approach stabilisation.
Why can a score be missing?
When data is insufficient: the recording stopped, touchdown telemetry is missing, or the flight did not complete correctly.
What is the AI landing debrief?
It explains an already computed score in plain language. It works by invitation and does not replace the metrics.
Ready to debrief your landing?
Flare reads a completed MSFS 2024 flight and shows a 0–100 score with a touchdown breakdown.