Aero Circus #385 | Mastering The Go Around

There is also the alarming notion in some instructor circles that certain elements of proficient flying can be safely omitted for students who are not aiming for a career in the airlines.

The flight training syllabus has been developed over many years and has recently been fine tuned in response to the release of the Manual of Standards (MOS).

However, to remain competitive, most flying schools only teach what is required to ‘meet the standard’. Often this is not what a safe and competent pilot needs to know or what employers need their new pilots to be able to do.

Missing links

There are a few key areas of flight training where we repeatedly and consistently see the same shortcomings in pilots. And not just the new ones, but often in highly experienced ones as well.

In response to this, Aero Circus has recently published a book called Refine Your Flying Skills. The book addresses a number of key areas where pilots are regularly found to be lacking skills that we think should be considered essential.

One of the areas in which all students receive training, but many demonstrate sub-standard skills, is the go around. What may look like a simple skill from the outside, can in fact be full of deadly traps for the unwary. This is borne out by the number of accidents that occur while attempting this manoeuvre.

Importantly, some pilots do not practise this skill at all on an ongoing basis. If they do, in many cases it is not frequently or broadly enough to cover the range of skills required to safely respond to any situation.

Following is an extract from the book which explores this topic in detail.

Many articles have been written about the go-around over the years. Some are quite good, some are selective and only deal with certain sections of the go-around, and some are downright dangerous and misleading. In this article, Instructor Fabrice examines the various scenarios that may occur and the appropriate responses and procedures in each case.

Why and when?

There are many reasons why a pilot may execute a go-around. For example, to avoid a potential collision, incorrect approach speed or angle, a bounced landing or in response to a directive from air traffic control. Some situations justify and require a decision to change an approach to land into a climb away.

Stalls, increased sink rates, loss of control, very hard touchdowns (and worse) can result from improperly conducted go-arounds.

So, what are the factors requiring consideration at various points in a go-around? How does each factor affect the others? How must you manage the go-around threat factors to execute a go-around safely?

There are two distinct situations where a go-around may become necessary.

• The first is that the pilot finds that on approach the aircraft is too fast, too slow, not ready before decision height for whatever reason, so a go-around is the appropriate response.
• The second is a recovery from a situation which is getting out of control and unsafe for the pilot and his passengers, such as a bad case of bounce, floating, wind shear on final, traffic avoidance, overshooting, runway conflicts or unexpected tailwind.

While we do encourage a go-around to be initiated at an earlier stage if it becomes apparent that the landing approach is not how it should be, it can also be used after a heavy bounce or a balloon.

A go-around at such a late stage of ‘flying’ is a last resort, but a good pilot will use this tool whenever the situation demands.

For the purposes of this article, we will address the go-around as two distinct processes, Early Decision and Late Decision.

Early decision

The first go-around option is initiated at the decision height passing through 200 to 300 feet above runway level.

First, let’s break this go-around into its two phases – prior to and at decision height.

• Initial Decision – By 200 to 300 feet AGL a decision is made not to continue with the landing (the approach is not under the pilot’s control).
• Approach Go-Around – This is the mechanical part, breaking off the approach and entering a climb.
• First – Full power!!
• Second – Arrest the descent by levelling out.
• Third – Once the airspeed has increased, raise the nose to a climb attitude.
• Fourth – Raise the flaps.
• Make the radio call to the tower (or other CTAF traffic) “ABC going around”. Make sure that the previous steps are completed before making your radio call. Tell them what you are doing, not what you intend to do.

Late decision

The second recovery option for a go-around is during a landing or bounce, where the airspeed may be very low, it should be roughly as follows:

• Smoothly apply full power and sufficient right rudder to keep the aircraft straight.
• Move the nose into the level flight position and hold it there. Note: This may require strong stick (control column) forces.
• When you have sufficient airspeed, gently milk off the flaps to the normal takeoff setting (if you suddenly go to zero flap the aircraft will sink and may even stall).
• Climb away normally along the runway centreline.
• Trim the aircraft.

The steps in this recovery technique have been kindly provided by Jim Davis, a very experienced pilot, instructor and aviation writer.

Power

Application of power is the first major input the pilot should make during a go-around. Light aircraft call for full power at the beginning of a go-around in order to level out. This will stop the descent, allow straight and level flight, and the aircraft should accelerate.

It is important to be prepared for the attitude change (pitching up) associated with the increase of power which could result in the aircraft entering a stall.

Full power should be the only change required at this stage. For example, in a constant speed retractable aircraft one should have gone through the final checks at 300 feet AGL (Red, Blue, Green) to always be ready for the go-around.

Rudder

As always, maintain directional control with the rudder, with the climb attitude, low airspeed and full power, all the aerodynamic forces associated with the propeller act on the aircraft and tend to make it yaw strongly to the left. Right rudder is required to maintain runway centreline.

Airspeed

During the final approach, the airspeed should remain constant. After the throttle is increased towards full power, the important thing is to level out, stop descending and let the airplane accelerate, and only then finally establish the climb.

Trim

During a go-around, flying the correct attitude is far more important than the state of the elevator trim. The purpose of the trim is purely to relieve the pressure on the pilot’s arms. Be prepared to exert a fair amount of pressure on the control column to maintain the correct attitude and keep the aircraft in a safe configuration for the duration of the go-around until a stable climb has been established.

Raise the flaps

This is the most dangerous part of the go-around manoeuvre.

It should be noted that a small Cessna with full flap will run out of airspeed and stall if put into the climb attitude at slow speed.

We will assume that full flaps have been set on the final approach, this being the configuration that will be the most challenging during the go-around transition.

We have already discussed the importance of levelling out and allowing the aircraft to gain some speed and controlling the attitude after increasing the power to maximum. At this point the pilot must anticipate and correct for the pressure changes on the control column during the retraction of flaps.

This change in pressure felt through the control column is caused by the centre of pressure moving forward on the chord line of the wing. This in turn increases the pressure required on the control column to maintain the correct attitude.

When it comes to raising the flaps, we are aware of two different schools of thought when it comes time for a go-around.

The first states that an ‘average’ pilot cannot handle the change in the centre of pressure safely, so this ‘average’ pilot should raise the flaps in stages, trimming the pressure after the end of each stage.

The second considers that the pilot is better off raising the flaps in only one stage, from full flaps to no flaps. The reasoning behind this is that the go-around has a certain level of emergency, requiring immediate action from the pilot. No time is to be wasted in raising the flaps in three separate stages as the pilot workload is already very high.

As the flaps rise, the lift and drag decrease. It is this potential loss of lift which we try to avoid by raising the flaps in stages. The intent behind the two schools of thought is the same – to avoid any sink occurring at a few feet above the ground, which could be catastrophic.

We believe that both techniques have some valid points and advantages. Sometimes a go-around can be a full-on emergency, and other times it may merely be a simple decision not requiring drastic evasive action. A pilot could get away with a bit of sink at three hundred feet but after a botched landing he doesn’t have that luxury.

A good pilot will assess the situation and use the technique best adapted to that situation.

If you are not familiar with and well-practised in both techniques, then book some time with a good flight instructor so you can train safely and be competent in both these techniques.

Decision making

Decision making is the factor that is the most difficult to explain in simple terms. It is very easy to fail to make the decision to call for a go-around or leave this decision until it is too late.

Make the decision early and do not worry about what others are thinking. A good pilot will call for a go-around if something is not quite right during the final approach, rather than letting the situation develop into a bigger problem.

Going around while avoiding aircraft on the same runway?

This is an interesting situation with the go-around that is worth talking about, a ‘worst case scenario’ as one might call it.

The pilot is on the final leg ready for a great landing and someone is entering the runway or has decided to do their runup checks on the runway. For Australia, the Visual Flight Rules Guide (VFRG) from CASA provides the following procedure (based on AIP ENR 1.1) for Class D aerodromes with parallel runways where contra-rotating circuit operations are in progress. This process can also be used in other situations, although with single runways you may maintain centreline or deviate either side based on traffic, circuit direction and terrain.

• Commence climb to circuit height as previously detailed.

• Position the aircraft on the active side of and parallel to the runway you are using, while maintaining separation from other aircraft.

• Re-enter the circuit from upwind, follow ATC instructions in controlled airspace.

Conclusion

The crashes that occur during failed go-around attempts, due to loss of directional control or failure to climb, result in the unnecessary destruction of aircraft and lives. They are the result of a failure to anticipate, manage and execute a safe go-around.

To master the go-around, you need to practice regularly in the aircraft you usually fly. You must be able to handle all the phases, from a normal approach established in a steady descent, to a normal climb so that you can reposition yourself for another attempt at landing. You should also practice going around safely after a bounce.

Regular practice and good decision making are the two factors required in this interesting and somehow dangerous flying manoeuvre. We strongly recommend that you become adept at this exercise and call for a go-around more often. Your confidence, skills and the safety of your aircraft and its passengers will improve.

As always, get some help

Once you have mastered the go around, it is fine to practice on your own. However, until you reach that level, always seek the assistance of a suitably qualified and experienced instructor. One small mistake or misunderstanding may have grave consequences. 

Go arounds, by their very nature, are practised close to the ground. The ground is the natural enemy of an aircraft not under proper control.

And of course, an informative book that helps to plug the skills gaps might be of some use. This can be used for pre-flight preparation to help you get the most out of your lesson. Then afterwards, as a reminder of what you need to practice. Or toilet paper, it’s your choice.

Aero Circus has recently published a book called ‘Refine Your Flying Skills’. This article is an extract from the book, which explores a range of techniques pilots can use to enhance their professionalism when ‘behind the yoke’. See aerocircus.com.au for more details. Aero Circus is run by a small group of pilots who are independent of airlines, employers, flying schools or other industry associations. They attempt to write unbiased articles with the aim of helping pilots of any experience level get more out of aviation.