A while back, I had a single-engine candidate on a checkride start his approach to landing at too steep of an angle. Instead of managing his airspeed for the steeper descent, he came in a little fast, distracting him from correcting for the crosswind. As he was just about ready to contact the runway, he was still in a crab and drifting across the runway. I had to take the controls and do a go-around before crashing. While debriefing and issuing a “Notice of Disapproval” for the unsatisfactory checkride, I asked the applicant why he did not just perform a go-around from such a poor approach without crosswind correction. He stated that he thought doing a go-around would make him look bad. I said it would not look nearly as bad as crashing an airplane would make him look. As a DPE, I would prefer to see someone go around rather than try to save an approach that will damage the airplane or worse.
As a jet examiner, I often see similar behavior in jets and flight simulators. It appears that many pilots are hesitant to perform a go-around on their own initiative. Some feel that they can “save” the landing or that they will lose face if they go around. However, pilots are very quick to execute a missed approach if triggered by the airplane “windshear” warning or if ATC directs an airplane to go around.
We also do not practice go-arounds very often or perform them during line flying. If I have a great performing crew in a jet simulator session, I can usually show them the recorded video of a go-around and find several errors or omissions. In fact, while instructing in the Bombardier 600 series simulators, I have witnessed more than fifty students stall the airplane to the stick shaker or stick pusher during a missed approach. This is because most of my students were new to auto-throttles, and per aircraft limitations they had to be turned off for a missed approach. Otherwise, the auto-throttles would reduce the airspeed by retarding the throttles to idle and slowing to the Vref approach speed rather than accelerating to missed approach speed. (Other airplanes are certified to fly missed approaches with the auto-throttles engaged). During one simulator event, I had a crew advise me that they performed a missed approach in actual flight at LaGuardia Airport, and they nearly stalled the airplane into the ocean for this reason.
One large FAR Part 135 operator, in order to reinforce this learning, recently arranged for six missed approaches or go-arounds to be conducted during the pilots recurrent training period. Most jet operators also have a stabilized approach policy. (See T&T September 2023) In an attempt to lessen the reluctance to go around the majority of these operators also have a “no fault” go-around policy as well.
We have all read many articles on how to conduct a go-around maneuver, but all of them are very vague on when you should execute a go-around. These vague descriptions include “go around when the approach does not look right” and “go around when you are not stabilized”.
The goal of this article is to assist you with the decision-making process to know whether to continue or abort the landing and set up for another try. Most pilots can make minor corrections and continue to a landing, but when do these corrections become too much to overcome?
The goal of this article is to assist you with the decision-making process to know whether to continue or abort the landing and set up for another try.”
Balloon
All of us have flared too fast or too much and had our airplane balloon (continue in flight rather than descend to a landing). If the balloon does not exceed the landing attitude you may simply add a little power and let the airplane settle back to the runway. Remember that the airplane will sink faster after the balloon due to some loss of lift as the airspeed decreases, so some power and a quicker flare may be required. If the airplane balloons so much that you are no longer in a landing pitch attitude, you need to add power and execute a go-around.
Bounce
Recovering from a small bounce is like recovering from a balloon in a landing. Just add a little power and expect a quicker descent in the second flare. If the airplane bounces so much that you are no longer in a landing attitude, you need to add power and execute a go-around. Cirrus aircraft have had a large number of nose strikes with the runway, resulting in costly repairs, so most flight schools instructing in Cirrus aircraft direct students to immediately go around if they bounce.
Drift
Each spring season results in a rash of accidents as pilots dust off the rust and relearn how to land in crosswind conditions. Remember, all landings should be on the main wheels first, with no drift and the lateral axis of the airplane lined up with the runway centerline (the airplane pointed down the runway). If you do not have directional control and drift control stabilized during the flare, or if you lose this control during the flare, you need to execute a go-around. Both drift control and directional control are frequently lost when attempting to recover from a balloon or bounce. Your drift control should also maintain the runway centerline within the area between your main tires.
Touchdown zone
Pilots continue to run off run-ways, resulting in significant air-craft damage and injuries. The FAA Practical Test Standards and Airman Certification Standards (PTS/ACS) require that airplanes touch down within a specific area. To further reduce runway excursion accidents this requirement has been further restricted for Airline Transport Pilots in the FAA ATP Airman Certification Standards. The ACS states that pilots shall land within 250 feet preceding the touchdown zone markings to 500 feet beyond the markings as opposed to the previous first third of the runway. So, if you are not going to touchdown within the touchdown zone, execute a go-around.
The aircraft main landing gear is very strong and will support your airplane if used as designed. This requires that you land on the main wheels first, not the nose wheel, have the longitudinal axis of the airplane pointed down the runway (not crabbed), and that the airplane is not drifting to either side.
Following these techniques and using good aeronautical decision-making will keep you from becoming an acci-dent statistic or failing your next checkride.
