Making Go Arounds Easier to Swallow

VWGhiaBob

VWGhiaBob

Line Up and Wait
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VWGhiaBob
Just saw the post from the guy who went off the end of the runway, and thought I'd offer this up in a separate post.

If you don't like doing go-arounds in front of others, try this...works for me every time:

The key: Set Expectations!

Tell your passengers that it's routine for you to do a go around at a new airport or when winds are blowing, and that they should expect a go around.

I say, "We may land on the first approach, but in the interest of the best possible safety, I usually fly by the airport once and then come in again. So don't be surprised if we come in and don't land. We may land the first time, but more than likely, we'll come in a second time."

This puts me at ease and my passengers at ease. A go around is then a "non-event".

Just this past week, I landed a Cirrus for the first time on Catalina Island...a tricky landing anyway. The SR20 wasn't losing altitude fast enough, and I didn't like the idea of a slip, given all the other challenges at this airport.

So...I simply went around, having announced previously to expect a go around. The second approach was a greaser.

The result of this approach is passengers who are totally at ease. I now have formed a club and have 25 people who ride with me on a regular basis.

Try it!
 
Maybe I'm being crass, but any pilot who is worried about what their passengers think about their landings needs to re-evaluate their safety mindset. This attitude is a foundation for poor decisions and many an accident could have been avoided by just flying the plane.

Really, if you have to make excuses to passengers why you went around, you are ripe for failure.
 
Unit74 said:
Maybe I'm being crass, but any pilot who is worried about what their passengers think about their landings needs to re-evaluate their safety mindset. This attitude is a foundation for poor decisions and many an accident could have been avoided by just flying the plane.

Really, if you have to make excuses to passengers why you went around, you are ripe for failure.
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Totally agree. If there is one thing being a PIC means, it means flying the airplane FIRST. Doesn't matter what ATC or a passenger thinks. What matters is simply, Aviate, Navigate, Communicate in that order. Nothing in that says 'gee, wonder if my passenger is watching and worrying'. Explain to them what's happening, but don't let anything enter your thinking other than your best judgement and skill flying the aircraft. The passenger will thank you on the ground later.
 
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Having calm passengers in the plane is a lot better than having to do a go around AND calming passengers at the same time.
 
CTLSi said:
Totally agree. If there is one thing being a PIC means, it means flying the airplane FIRST. Doesn't matter what ATC or a passenger thinks. What matters is simply, Aviate, Navigate, Communicate in that order. Nothing in that says 'gee, wonder if my passenger is watching and worrying'. Explain to them what's happening, but don't let anything enter your thinking other than your best judgement and skill flying the aircraft. The passenger will thank you on the ground later.
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I agree that being PIC is the first priority, but if your passengers are freaking out and are scared that has to have an effect on you. Putting them at ease so that you can do your job without excess pressure seems like a very good judgement to me. "External pressures" is a whole section in pretty much every training book I've read, this is simply a way to help reduce those pressures, which is a good thing. The bonus is that they are happier when they get to the destination as well.

Also I read the OP as a discussion to have with the passengers far before the approach, so that you dont need to explain anything to them when there are more important things to do....like flying the aircraft.
 
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Yup. I do this all the time with folks I'm taking to new airports. Most people are at the very least apprehensive about flying in small planes anyway so announcing what you are doing has absolutely no harm and the byproduct is it calms your passengers down and lets them know to expect certain things. Same thing with turns or cutting engine power in the pattern, etc... that are normal but could freak a non-pilot passenger out.

Good advice.
 
RBeaubien said:
Having calm passengers in the plane is a lot better than having to do a go around AND calming passengers at the same time.
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Agree completely but you don't have to spin a yarn to do this.

When I'm going into my hometown (1200' to 1600' of grass) with someone new I simply tell them something like:

"I need to land close to the start of the runway at this one so if I don't like what I see...if I'm too low...too high...too fast...too slow...I will go to full throttle and we will climb back out and try again. You'll notice that my right hand will stay on the throttle at all times. "Going around" is a normal procedure, pilots even practice it, and it's perfectly safe, so don't let it alarm you if I "go around"."

I see absolutely no reason to lie to them.

Or I tell them we're doing a wildlife clearing pass and we do, but that one is at about 135 kts! ;)
 
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Unit74 said:
Maybe I'm being crass, but any pilot who is worried about what their passengers think about their landings needs to re-evaluate their safety mindset. This attitude is a foundation for poor decisions and many an accident could have been avoided by just flying the plane.

Really, if you have to make excuses to passengers why you went around, you are ripe for failure.
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Nuff said right there. :yes:
 
Unit74 said:
Maybe I'm being crass, but any pilot who is worried about what their passengers think about their landings needs to re-evaluate their safety mindset. This attitude is a foundation for poor decisions and many an accident could have been avoided by just flying the plane.

Really, if you have to make excuses to passengers why you went around, you are ripe for failure.
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It all depends on the passenger. Some of them will panic just because the outer marker starts to beep. Some would ride through an off-airport crash landing ending upside down and say, "Gee, that was fun, can we do that again?" So, if safety says to go around, don't let what your passengers might think stop you, but with Nervous Nellie riding along, you might say something to alleviate Nellie's predictable concern and potential panic as early as you can once you see the possibility of that go-around. If that means practicing some passenger-calming lines on your own so you have them ready when needed, I think that's a good idea because panicked passengers in a small aircraft cabin are detrimental to safety.
 
VWGhiaBob said:
The SR20 wasn't losing altitude fast enough, and I didn't like the idea of a slip, given all the other challenges at this airport.
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Why didn't you like the idea of a slip??

I have no issues slipping anything from a 7AC to a large turboprop anywhere and anytime needed.

Being comfortable with a slip is a VERY good tool to have, given enough hours at some point a slip will save your bacon.
 
James331 said:
Why didn't you like the idea of a slip??

I have no issues slipping anything from a 7AC to a large turboprop anywhere and anytime needed.

Being comfortable with a slip is a VERY good tool to have, given enough hours at some point a slip will save your bacon.
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I don't slight the guy from not wanting to do a slip. Imagine what that would look like to a passenger? The nose going one way, the opposite wing dipped way low. The plane descending rapidly. That would certainly get them pooping their pants.

The go around is by far the safest, why 'save' a landing if you can easily, simply rejoin the pattern?
 
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James331 said:
Why didn't you like the idea of a slip??

I have no issues slipping anything from a 7AC to a large turboprop anywhere and anytime needed.

Being comfortable with a slip is a VERY good tool to have, given enough hours at some point a slip will save your bacon.
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I wouldn't slip with a first-time or nervous passenger.

Bob Gardner
 
I had engine trouble with a passenger aboard once and had to slip hard in order to make the runway at the nearest airport. I actually warned him just before I did it, I guess because I didn't want him to freak out and grab the yoke or anything.
 
Always shoot for a good ride for the pax, but if I feel a slip is warranted or a go around Ill execute and worry about "feelings" and chit later.

Another reason to be careful with who you let sit at a station that has flight controls.
 
I was in a go-around in the back of a 737 once, on short final into San Jose. After climbing back up the missed, the captain reported a traffic alert. Though one might hope an alert that close in would be accompanied by a visual, no one freaked out.

The right thing to do is report to your passengers that you expect a difficult approach, before arriving and preferably before engine start.
 
From the OP...

I brief passengers to make them feel at ease and for safety. For me, ANYTHING that diverts my attention...explaining mid-air, or having someone get really afraid...is a bad thing.

As pilots, we are all vulnerable to "get there itis". To be candid, saying this to passengers gets me prepared myself also. That way, it's easier to focus on the go-around itself, and not on the "Oh **** - How could this be happening" factor.

Numerous passengers have told me that my thorough pre-checks, explanations (e.g. why am I running the engine at high rpm's before take off?), and safety briefings make them comfortable...even the nervous ones.

As pilots, we probably forget how terrified people can be. Perhaps if we all took a bit more time to educate passengers, there would be even more interest in GA.

And about my club...it's not really a club. It's an email list to which 25 folks have subscribed. When I fly, I do an e-mail blast and anyone can go up free. I fly 2 - 3 times a week, and rarely do I not have passengers.

I feel part of my success is keeping them comfortable and confident...not to mention that my 100% safety checks before every flight (yes, even after a lunch stop) make us just a tad bit safer..
 
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I'm with Bob on this one. I rarely fly with pax I don't know, but when I do I tell them that you may see my right hand touching and doing a bunch of stuff on the panel and it's all normal. You may not talk to me when we are less than 1000' from the ground unless you see a plane headed for us. If I think we need it, we may go around on landing. It's not a problem, it's not a failure, it's just part of aviation.

Worked well when I had a coyote crossing the runway a few years back. The woman in back was looking at the runway, and wondered why we went around. After we landed she asked and I said I saw a coyote in the grass moving around and didn't want to risk hitting it. She agreed that would be bad, and might injure or kill the coyote. I didn't point out the potential damage to us.

I really try not to slip with a novice in the plane. It feels unnatural and they are already sometimes apprehensive.
 
I am kind of embarrassed to admit that I didn't think of a slip the other night. I drive a 182 and with 40 degrees of flap it falls out of the sky. The other night I had some friends up for a sight seeing flight after dinner at the airport. Work was bringing performed on the end of the runway at about the 1000' markers. I wanted to land well clear of the workers and came in a little high. Actually I was a lot high. I pulled power and had 40 degrees of flap and had a hard time getting her down (made a beautiful landing with plenty of room to spare) as fast as I wanted. Never considered a slip, guess I need to practice coming in high and slipping.

Jim
 
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