"Go Around" When To Do It, and When Not To.

[Geico266]

Another thread reminded me of a subject near and dear to me (for many reasons). Seems most pilots have never done a "Go Around" and are darn proud of it! This kind of macho (I can make a landing no matter what! :mad ) can get you into trouble. I have had 3 occasions in 1,750 hours where a go around has saved lives, property, and lots of aggravations. Maybe I'm just a bad pilot, or maybe I'm over cautious, you be the judge. For me, I'm gonna make go around part of my flying and be prepared to use it every time I fly.

1. I was a solo ultralight pilot doing many T&G's on a grass strip and it was approaching 0dark30. Practicing short field landings I was on final and looked up (I was told to check out the rest of runway before touch down) and I noticed 3 black dots that were not there before. Instinctively, I hit the power and pulled the nose up and held it just before stall. I passed over 3 kids that got up and ran off the field. They thought it would be cool to hide in the tall grass on the runway.

2. I was on short final (with a passenger) on an unfamiliar private runway, in an LSA and a convertable car was paralleling the runway at a good speed. I looked up ahead and saw that the road crossed the runway and I could see a possible problem if the car did not see or hear me. Full power, go around. The car stopped at the intersection and all would have been fine, but I certainly did not know that. Later he told me I was silly for going around. B)

3. Learning how to land a tail dragger it is easy (for me anyway) to get into PIO (Pilot Induced Osculation) SEVERAL times I have hit the power and started flying again to kill the PIO and corrected the approach and made a "good" landing.

The point is, there are times when a "go around" is the best thing to do. I am certainly no expert when it comes to flying airplanes, I've just flown alot in many different airplanes. Don't be afraid to use it.

Better to have botched a landing and done a go around than to ball up a plane, hit something, or ground loop it.

When in any doubt do a go around. You'll just may be glad you did.

Anyone else have a go around day?

 

[fdorrin]

the go-around is a maneuver that should be practiced. you'll really need it when you really need it, and the need for it may not be your own doing.

 

[mikea]

Another thread reminded me of a subject near and dear to me (for many reasons). Seems most pilots have never done a "Go Around" and are darn proud of it! This kind of macho (I can make a landing no matter what! :mad ) can get you into trouble. I have had 3 occasions in 1,750 hours where a go around has saved lives, property, and lots of aggravations. Maybe I'm just a bad pilot, or maybe I'm over cautious, you be the judge. For me, I'm gonna make go around part of my flying and be prepared to use it every time I fly.
...

I've done so many go-arounds that I couldn't list them all, but the home base is uncontrolled.

i.e., I have no hesitation going around if I didn't turn fast enough with the tailwind on base and see the runway far on the inside of the turn. I have ingrained deep into my subconscious the typical stall/spin deal. I always get it right the second time.

There was the time my directional dysexia got me and as I noticed the runway was coming up really fast I realized there was a better runway to use.

 

[Chairboy]

A go around is a vital piece of equipment in the toolbox. I've made a bunch, mostly during training, but one post checkride one that sticks out in my memory was a few years ago. Some parachutists had touched down a few minutes before, and while I was on short final, I glanced up to see what they were doing a few times because they needed to cross the runway to get back to the jump-biz and the LZ was immediately next to the runway itself.

Sure enough, just as I began my flare, a bunch of them walked out onto the runway and started crossing. I was ready for it because I had seen them standing there, so I powered up and climbed out. It was a hot day, I was maybe 50-100 feet off the ground by the time I passed over them, no idea to this day why they did it.

A year later during a city council meeting about safety complaints other pilots had made against the jump operators, I shared my story. Someone went up immediately after me that was apparently associated with the jumpers and said my go-around wasn't a big deal and suggested that I was a poor pilot for having done it.

(insert rolling eyes here)

Ok, bud.

 

[corny357]

I don't know why some people have such issues with going around. I personally think they're rather fun, and they are always good practice.

Geico, I don't even have close to half as many hours as you do (I'm gettin there ) and counting up in my logbook I've done 10 go arounds and I'm damn proud of em.

As for the kids on the runway, I think a low approach was in order.

 

[vontresc]

I've done my share of Go arounds. None yet in the Glider though

I learned to appreciate the go-around when I was learning to fly a tail dragger. My CFI told me to not be ashamed of the go around ESPECIALLY in a tailwheel aircraft. A go around probably saved me a ground loop in the champ we were flying. the canmp was unscapthed, but my ego, and a runway light were not so lucky (no prop strike, Iook it out with the right main).

 

[Matthew]

I hate to admit how many times I should have done a go-around and didn't. Not for obvious safety reasons - like the other day when somebody was taking his time getting clear of the runway, or when I have been caught by surprise by a gust, or I really botched the approach - but for more subtle reasons. Reasons like "something just doesn't feel/look/seem right" but I went ahead and landed anyway. I really need to work more on telling myself that a go-around is 'normal' and only land when a go-around isn't necessary.

 

[Geico266]

A go around probably saved me a ground loop in the Champ we were flying. the Champ was unscapthed, but my ego, and a runway light were not so lucky (no prop strike, I took it out with the right main).

Nothing like a TG aircraft to keep you humble.

 

[Geico266]

Geico, I don't even have close to half as many hours as you do (I'm gettin there ) and counting up in my logbook I've done 10 go arounds and I'm damn proud of em.

As for the kids on the runway, I think a low approach was in order.

It don't take much to burn holes in the sky, just time & $$$. As for the kids on the runway, I was in a Rans S-12 with an 65HP Rotax 2 stoker. It does climb fairly well, and it VERY loud! I'm sure I got their attention. Here is the funny part. I called their parents just to let them know so they could have a talk with the kids. One of the parents got irrate and said; "The runway is part of the "common areas" and my kids can play there when ever they want." B) I pointed out to him the danger in this thinking, and that the association rules are very clear about foot traffic on the runway. Some people should not be allowed to breed.

 

[KennyFlys]

A go-around should be the first option on every approach without exception. Plan and be ready for it as you never know when it's going to be done. My students get at least one every other flight whether it's a supposed runway incursion or they've become unstable during their approach. Sometimes it happens right in the flare or round out, with full flaps.

 

[markb5900]

Agree will all the above.
My first "real" go around after getting my PP was with my first passenger. Was coming in HIGH and FAST so told him I was going around.
"Why, SOMETHING WRONG??????"
Then I explained that his pilot had botched the approach so bad that we were going to do it again.
He got a chuckle from it. But found out later he told his wife how safe he felt with me since I WOULD "swallow my pride" and be safe.
He had flown GA for years with many different people actually made me feel GOOD!

As for TW, I WISH I had gone around more times than I actually have.

Mark B

 

[corny357]

A go-around should be the first option on every approach without exception. Plan and be ready for it as you never know when it's going to be done. My students get at least one every other flight whether it's a supposed runway incursion or they've become unstable during their approach. Sometimes it happens right in the flare or round out, with full flaps.

Agreed. I can't say this for a nice, clear VFR day, but any time I start an instrument approach I always sorta keep reverse thinking: I'm starting this approach with the intention of flying the missed and if I get my required references and land, that's nice too.

 

[brcase]

Agree will all the above.
My first "real" go around after getting my PP was with my first passenger. Was coming in HIGH and FAST so told him I was going around.
"Why, SOMETHING WRONG??????"
Then I explained that his pilot had botched the approach so bad that we were going to do it again.
He got a chuckle from it. But found out later he told his wife how safe he felt with me since I WOULD "swallow my pride" and be safe.
He had flown GA for years with many different people actually made me feel GOOD!

As for TW, I WISH I had gone around more times than I actually have.

Mark B

A friend of mine had a simliar experience but upon realizing he was to high and fast said "we are not going to make it" is passenger didn't really understand that he was just saying he was going to have to do a go around. His lesson for the day was to be careful how you say things to passengers.

Brian

 

[gprellwitz]

Agree will all the above.
My first "real" go around after getting my PP was with my first passenger. Was coming in HIGH and FAST so told him I was going around.
"Why, SOMETHING WRONG??????"
Then I explained that his pilot had botched the approach so bad that we were going to do it again.
He got a chuckle from it. But found out later he told his wife how safe he felt with me since I WOULD "swallow my pride" and be safe.
He had flown GA for years with many different people actually made me feel GOOD!

As for TW, I WISH I had gone around more times than I actually have.

Mark B

You know, I did a go-around with my first non-pilot passenger, too. Just didn't like the way it was coming together and made the call.

I've also done one at Nassau early in my flying days when I managed to line up for the nice long taxiway. By the time I got straightened out pointing at the runway, I didn't feel like I was in a good stabilized approach and elected for the go-around. Tower asked me why, and I just said I wasn't comfortable with the approach. The only consequence was that they asked if I would be able to land on a different runway. I was, I did, and I had a long taxi back, including following a 737 or something as it taxied on another runway.

At Pat Schaub's ASF meeting on Monday he was a BIG proponent of the go-around. Basically he said if you're too high, go-around. If you're too low, go-around. If you're five degrees off the centerline, go-around. If you're five knots too fast, go-around. He told a story of flying with one of the test pilots who had him go around the first two times in the pattern for some of these very reasons.

 

[Pi1otguy]

I haven't got nearly the same kind of hours (or $$$) as you guys do but I've got a story about when a go around would have saved the day. I was doing an ILS w/ circle to land on an overcast day with good VFR below. With the field in sight I started to positioned myself for the most logical entry, a left base. Instead the tower mistakenly told me to report *right* base.

Puzzled about tying up the approach but compliant I crossed over the runway only to see that tower set me up to T-bone a guy on right downwind. After asking the tower if I should follow him another tower guy came on with the most urgent sounding controller voice I've ever heard & cleared me for an immediate right 270* to land. Turning inside the other guy's pattern I learned that the 172 doesn't bleed speed well in a spiral. With half the runway gone I touched down, started braking, and realized I'm gonna run out of runway.

Among the dozens of thoughts before leaving the asphalt were "This is going to suck" and "Man, why didn't I go around!" followed by telling my little cousin "oh crap. hold on". Skin, tin, and ticket; no damage. Ego and nerves: shot to heck. To this day I always remind myself that a go around is sometime the better choice to hearing my little cousin ask "Are we going to crash again?"

 

[Bill]

When in any doubt do a go around. You'll just may be glad you did.

Anyone else have a go around day?

Last week, I did a go around. i am not the worlds best lander to begin with, and it has been a year since I've been night current. My first two stop and gos at the class C big runway were perfect, but the last one at my home airport was not so good. The runway has a good downslope, and I flaired too high, bounce #1, bounce #2, FIREWALL.

Mulligan, do over, whatever.

You get two bounces in the Mooney, the third gets the prop.

 

[markb5900]

Last week, I did a go around. i am not the worlds best lander to begin with, and it has been a year since I've been night current. My first two stop and gos at the class C big runway were perfect, but the last one at my home airport was not so good. The runway has a good downslope, and I flaired too high, bounce #1, bounce #2, FIREWALL.

Mulligan, do over, whatever.

You get two bounces in the Mooney, the third gets the prop.

You get TWO??
Wow the cfi that checked me out in a Mooney lied to me!
I got ONE. LOL

Good job Bill

 

[timwinters]

At Pat Schaub's ASF meeting on Monday he was a BIG proponent of the go-around. Basically he said if you're too high, go-around. If you're too low, go-around. If you're five degrees off the centerline, go-around. If you're five knots too fast, go-around.

With all respect, that sounds a tad extreme and as if he was aiming it at 25 to 50 hour per year pilots and not the 100 to 200 hour per year pilots. I don't hesitate to go around when I have the need (4 times in my flying career) but there are many other tools in your toolbox that can be effectively utilized before putting the balls to the wall.

 

[jmaynard]

there are many other tools in your toolbox that can be effectively utilized before putting the balls to the wall.

No doubt. OTOH, there's no harm in going around if you just don't think you can make it work. I find myself going around in the Zodiac when I'm high and fast on final; I can deal with just about any other error, but that combination will lead to a rotten landing if I try to fix it.

Leave your ego on the ramp. There's no shame in going around.

 

[Teller1900]

There's no better way to scare the poo out of a bunch of passengers! I've done quite a few go-arounds/missed approaches in the last couple years. From other planes mysteriously taxiing onto the runway as we're on final, to other planes trying to conduct LAHSO with us at an untowered airport, to the usual crappy New England weather, there's absolutely no reason to press on past your point of comfort. When in doubt, try it again in 4 to 10 minutes.

 

[mikea]

I haven't got nearly the same kind of hours (or $$$) as you guys do but I've got a story about when a go around would have saved the day. I was doing an ILS w/ circle to land on an overcast day with good VFR below. With the field in sight I started to positioned myself for the most logical entry, a left base. Instead the tower mistakenly told me to report *right* base.

Puzzled about tying up the approach but compliant I crossed over the runway only to see that tower set me up to T-bone a guy on right downwind. After asking the tower if I should follow him another tower guy came on with the most urgent sounding controller voice I've ever heard & cleared me for an immediate right 270* to land. Turning inside the other guy's pattern I learned that the 172 doesn't bleed speed well in a spiral. With half the runway gone I touched down, started braking, and realized I'm gonna run out of runway.

Among the dozens of thoughts before leaving the asphalt were "This is going to suck" and "Man, why didn't I go around!" followed by telling my little cousin "oh crap. hold on". Skin, tin, and ticket; no damage. Ego and nerves: shot to heck. To this day I always remind myself that a go around is sometime the better choice to hearing my little cousin ask "Are we going to crash again?"

Yeah. I *hope* I'm wise enough now to say "Tell ya what. I'm going out a ways to try this again."

 

[SkyHog]

I dunno....I don't mean to sound macho at all, but I never understood how one botches a go around.

They're not that complicated. I've used 'em when necessary, and I can't even recall the reasons behind them, since they're such non-events.

What makes them so hard? Its not like spin recovery.

 

[Pi1otguy]

I dunno....I don't mean to sound macho at all, but I never understood how one botches a go around.

Like this:

NTSB #: LAX01LA168
...
However, on the second attempt, he began his climb-out, flaps fully extended with full power. He was subjected to turbulence from the right, raising the right wing, at which time he lost some altitude. He regained control with aileron and rudder input. He realized that he was not climbing, instead he was losing altitude. He said that he never regained enough altitude to raise the flaps. He made a forced landing in rough terrain and thick brush, collided with a bush and nosed over.

What makes them so hard? Its not like spin recovery.

Underpowered planes with full flaps. On warm days a mismanaged Skipper or older underpowered 172 with full flaps can put u behind the curve w/o enough speed to climb or enough altitude to clean up.

 

[sba55]

I don't know any pilots who'd claim that they've never gone around.

I've gone around quite a few times. I do know that I can always make a normal landing, so the times I've gone around were related to something unusual, from "hey tower is that a plane on the runway?" to strong winds.

One time early on, I learned what not going around could lead to. Flying a new (to me) plane, I did not go around after having floated half way down the runway. Big mistake. I had a few feet of runway left when I stopped. Never again.

Felix

 

[bobmrg]

I haven't got nearly the same kind of hours (or $$$) as you guys do but I've got a story about when a go around would have saved the day. I was doing an ILS w/ circle to land on an overcast day with good VFR below. With the field in sight I started to positioned myself for the most logical entry, a left base. Instead the tower mistakenly told me to report *right* base.

Puzzled about tying up the approach but compliant I crossed over the runway only to see that tower set me up to T-bone a guy on right downwind. After asking the tower if I should follow him another tower guy came on with the most urgent sounding controller voice I've ever heard & cleared me for an immediate right 270* to land. Turning inside the other guy's pattern I learned that the 172 doesn't bleed speed well in a spiral. With half the runway gone I touched down, started braking, and realized I'm gonna run out of runway.

Among the dozens of thoughts before leaving the asphalt were "This is going to suck" and "Man, why didn't I go around!" followed by telling my little cousin "oh crap. hold on". Skin, tin, and ticket; no damage. Ego and nerves: shot to heck. To this day I always remind myself that a go around is sometime the better choice to hearing my little cousin ask "Are we going to crash again?"

Complying with a bad tower instruction might get you killed some day. Get clarification before you take action....that might have just been a slip-of-the-tongue by the controller. Given similar circumstances, I would have said "Unable."

Bob Gardner

 

[Pi1otguy]

Complying with a bad tower instruction might get you killed some day. Get clarification before you take action....that might have just been a slip-of-the-tongue by the controller. Given similar circumstances, I would have said "Unable."

Bob Gardner

That was one lesson I learned that day. The other was to suggestively "elborate" my readback of unusual instructions, freq congestion permitting.

Ex:
Tower: Bugmasher 123, report right base.
Me: Do you want me to cross over runway 34, join right downwind, then report right base? Bugmasher 123

 

[jesse]

I've done a couple go-arounds over the last couple years when they've been needed. They are something that one shouldn't be afraid of doing. The last one was about a year ago when an airplane didn't understand "cleared for immediate takeoff". I also did one at Gastons 07 when a cub decided to takeoff when I was landing. I think the time before that was in 2005 as an inexperienced pilot (60TT hours with 1.5 hours of complex in a complex airplane) on a gusty night in an unfamiliar airplane and things just weren't feeling 'right' when I went into the flare.

That said, this only goes so far, if you find yourself needing a go-around on every other landing you really need to step back and re-evaluate your technique. I've seen some pilots that you can just expect to do two go-arounds before they land. They really shouldn't be flying as PIC until they learn to deal with the above. A extremely high-go around rate isn't because it is the best choice. It is simply the best choice for that pilot because they don't know how to control their airplane. If they would just do X, Y, or Z they would land safely without the go-around. If you find yourself depending on luck instead of technique to establish yourself on a stable approach you really need to get with a CFI before you act as PIC anymore.

Once again, I'm not against go-arounds, I'm against using them instead of just becoming a better pilot. I've just seen too many pilots that I've noticed always go around and tend to be all over the place with no consistency or control in the pattern. There are plenty of valid reasons to do a go-around but a lack of airplane control on every landing shouldn't be one.

 

[Larryo]

I'm not a bit fan of doing a bunch of go around, but if necessary, by all means. If the landing can't be accomplished safely, without doubt, then it's necessary. However, they really don't happen often and easy to go years without doing one. I'd rather be proficient enough that they would not be self induced.

Also, they rarely come by surprise as the tires are touching down... but can. Often one has a head up as to the possibility so they can be prepared. I can only remember one ever where the wheels actually touched down, and I wasn't the PIC on that flight.

Also, they can be flown very similar to an IFR miss (to a point), so one can get practice for them.

 

[poadeleted20]

There used to be a safety poster put out by the Naval Safety Center showing the bits and pieces of what used to be an A-4 Skyhawk laid out neatly on a hangar floor in their proper relationship to one another in the shape of the aircraft. The caption read, "There's no approach that can't be salvaged."

 

[bbchien]

At Pat Schaub's ASF meeting on Monday he was a BIG proponent of the go-around. Basically he said if you're too high, go-around. If you're too low, go-around. If you're five degrees off the centerline, go-around. If you're five knots too fast, go-around. He told a story of flying with one of the test pilots who had him go around the first two times in the pattern for some of these very reasons.

I really like his shtick, "When do you have to stop going around?"

"When you run out of fuel!"

His talk was entertaining...

 

[KennyFlys]

There used to be a safety poster put out by the Naval Safety Center showing the bits and pieces of what used to be an A-4 Skyhawk laid out neatly on a hangar floor in their proper relationship to one another in the shape of the aircraft. The caption read, "There's no approach that can't be salvaged."

That's a great image. I wonder if there's a way to find those old navy safety posters?

The one that sticks in my mind most is a warning about wearing jewelry around the aircraft. It was only a finger with a ring on it. I can't recall the caption but the image said plenty on its own.

Edit: I found a couple sources, actually...

http://www.safetycenter.navy.mil/MEDIA/posters/categories/aviation.htm

http://www.mod.uk/DefenceInternet/A...iation/DARS/DarsSafetyPostersCatalogues18.htm

Not the same poster but the message is indeed there.

 

[poadeleted20]

New wine in an old bottle. Guess they updated it 'cause nobody would recognize an A-4 anymore.

 

[SkyHog]

I've done a couple go-arounds over the last couple years when they've been needed. They are something that one shouldn't be afraid of doing. The last one was about a year ago when an airplane didn't understand "cleared for immediate takeoff". I also did one at Gastons 07 when a cub decided to takeoff when I was landing. I think the time before that was in 2005 as an inexperienced pilot (60TT hours with 1.5 hours of complex in a complex airplane) on a gusty night in an unfamiliar airplane and things just weren't feeling 'right' when I went into the flare.

That said, this only goes so far, if you find yourself needing a go-around on every other landing you really need to step back and re-evaluate your technique. I've seen some pilots that you can just expect to do two go-arounds before they land. They really shouldn't be flying as PIC until they learn to deal with the above. A extremely high-go around rate isn't because it is the best choice. It is simply the best choice for that pilot because they don't know how to control their airplane. If they would just do X, Y, or Z they would land safely without the go-around. If you find yourself depending on luck instead of technique to establish yourself on a stable approach you really need to get with a CFI before you act as PIC anymore.

Once again, I'm not against go-arounds, I'm against using them instead of just becoming a better pilot. I've just seen too many pilots that I've noticed always go around and tend to be all over the place with no consistency or control in the pattern. There are plenty of valid reasons to do a go-around but a lack of airplane control on every landing shouldn't be one.

One or two more go arounds from me at 6Y9 and I probably would have handed the controls over to you. I was starting to feel that I didn't have it.

 

[Skip Miller]

That said, this only goes so far, if you find yourself needing a go-around on every other landing you really need to step back and re-evaluate your technique.

Or your ADM. You can have the best technique but if your ADM keeps pushing your envelope way out there, the go-around is keeping you alive. Either way, you have something to work on.

-Skip

 

[KennyFlys]

New wine in an old bottle. Guess they updated it 'cause nobody would recognize an A-4 anymore.

I still think it was the sharpest bird the Blue Angels ever flew. It may not match the Hornet under the hood but I'd rather have one.

 

[gismo]

I've done my share of Go arounds. None yet in the Glider though

I learned to appreciate the go-around when I was learning to fly a tail dragger. My CFI told me to not be ashamed of the go around ESPECIALLY in a tailwheel aircraft. A go around probably saved me a ground loop in the champ we were flying. the canmp was unscapthed, but my ego, and a runway light were not so lucky (no prop strike, Iook it out with the right main).

I did a go around in a glider once! Well sort of a go around, someone started driving a cart across the runway I was close to touching down on so I closed the spoilers, popped up 20 feet or so and then landed beyond the cart. In hindsight it might have been better to swing over to the side of the runway behind the cart but I was a newly transitioned power pilot at the time so a push on the "throttle" (spoiler control) and a pitch up were my conditioned response to a fouled runway.

I've also done several in response to a botched landing attempt when I was learning to fly my first taildragger (a Starduster Too biplane) although those might not qualify as true "go arounds" since I'd already touched down once or twice. The only other go around I can remember
that wasn't a missed IFR approach was when I tried to land a 172 in a 15 knot tailwind (the wind had switched while I was enterring the pattern). The relatively high groundspeed clued me into the fact that something was wrong so I went back up and then found that the windsock was pointing the other way.

 

[dmccormack]

I had a go around one night in the '47 Bonanza V tail. I think I mentioned this flight a while ago here. When I took off from MGW winds were calm. When I arrived at VVS (15 minute flight), winds were variable at 4 or so-- according to the ASOS.

The wild ride and a call to an inbound Stat medevac chopper made it plain that the winds were strong (>25) from the east -- right off the 1000' foot ridge very close to VVS, and rolling off that ridge. I tried landing on 5 and gave up. I repeated "Fly the airplane" to myself about 50 times while on the non-standard gauges until I was back to pattern altitude and a bit northwest of the field.

I decided to try a landing on 14 -- which is a classic black hole approach, with no PAPI and 2400' Usable. A go around on 14 would put me right at the base of the ridge (the VVS ODP forbids night departures from 14).

I stayed high until I could see the faded numbers, then dove for the runway (I didn't want to slip, as the runway was barely visible and I wanted to keep it front and center). Fortunately Bonanzas are draggy when gear and flaps are down, and speed buildup was minimal. Touchdown and rollout were non-event. I had to open the door for air and to help dry the sweat.

Once I landed I realized the better move would have been to fly back to MGW. But then I thought it may have been as bad there when I returned. I called Rick in the tower and he said it was still fairly calm.