Landing an aircraft requires precision. A go-around, also known as a missed approach, is a standard, pre-planned procedure where the flight crew aborts the landing attempt and initiates a climb. This maneuver is built into every approach chart to ensure safety when conditions are not optimal for landing. It is not considered an abnormal event, but rather the intended safe course of action.
Understanding the Go-Around Maneuver
Executing a go-around involves a rapid and coordinated sequence of actions by the flight crew. The first action is typically the application of full or maximum available thrust to immediately arrest the descent and begin climbing. Simultaneously, the pilot adjusts the aircraft’s pitch attitude upward to establish the climb profile. The initial goal is to quickly transition the aircraft from a landing configuration to a climbing configuration.
Following the power and pitch adjustments, the crew sequentially retracts the landing gear and the wing flaps. This “cleaning up” process is done in stages to maintain lift while reducing drag as the aircraft accelerates. The sequence of retraction is specific to each aircraft type and is carefully managed to avoid performance issues at low altitude. The procedure then requires the crew to follow the published missed approach path, which guides the aircraft safely away from obstacles and surrounding traffic.
Signs of an Unstable Approach
The concept of a stabilized approach dictates that an aircraft must meet specific parameters by a designated altitude, often 500 feet above ground level (AGL). This altitude ensures sufficient time for corrections or for safely initiating the go-around maneuver. Any deviation from these predefined conditions below this altitude requires the pilot to immediately discontinue the approach.
Excessive Airspeed or Sink Rate
Exceeding the target landing speed makes it difficult to stop the aircraft on the runway within the available distance. Likewise, an excessive sink rate, which is the vertical speed of the aircraft’s descent, can lead to a hard landing or structural damage if not arrested immediately. If the crew cannot effectively bleed off excess speed or control a high rate of descent, the approach is considered non-stabilized, necessitating a climb-out.
Improper Aircraft Configuration
The aircraft must be properly configured for landing well before reaching the stabilization height. This includes ensuring that the landing gear is fully extended and locked, and the wing flaps are set to the final landing position. These components affect the aircraft’s drag and lift characteristics, which are calculated for the final approach segment. If these items are not deployed in a timely manner, or if a configuration setting is missed, the approach is compromised, and the landing attempt must be aborted.
Misalignment with the Runway Centerline
Maintaining alignment with the runway centerline is a continuous requirement during the final approach. Lateral deviations that place the aircraft too far to the side require excessive bank angles to correct, which is unsafe at low altitudes. Similarly, vertical path deviations, where the aircraft is too far above or below the ideal glide path, cannot be corrected using normal bank or pitch adjustments.
Uncorrected Altitude Deviations
The ideal descent path is often defined by an electronic glide slope. Being significantly too high means the aircraft will land long, while being too low increases the risk of impacting terrain or obstacles short of the runway threshold. If these altitude deviations cannot be corrected with only small, gentle control inputs, the crew must execute a go-around. The goal is to maintain the predefined flight path.
Poor Visibility or Loss of Visual Reference
Pilots conducting an instrument approach must establish visual reference with the runway environment before continuing to land. If the minimum descent altitude or decision height is reached and visual cues, such as the runway lights or approach lighting system, are not sighted, the procedure mandates a go-around. Losing visual cues at a low altitude also requires an immediate climb-out to prevent an uncontrolled descent into the ground.
Circumstances Outside Pilot Control
While a pilot’s technique often determines stability, several external factors can independently necessitate an immediate go-around, regardless of the aircraft’s current state. These situations arise unexpectedly and demand an immediate, proactive response from the flight crew to maintain safety. The aircraft may be perfectly stable, yet the surrounding environment dictates that landing is unsafe.
- Air Traffic Control (ATC) may issue instructions to abort a landing attempt for reasons of sequencing, spacing, or separation with other traffic in the terminal area. When an ATC controller issues a “go-around” or “missed approach” instruction, the flight crew is required to comply immediately and without question.
- Traffic on the Runway is a common cause for an external go-around, such as the presence of another aircraft, vehicle, or wildlife that has not yet cleared the runway surface. The runway must be clear of all obstructions before a landing aircraft crosses the threshold.
- Wake Turbulence is generated by large aircraft as powerful vortices of air that trail behind their wingtips. If a smaller aircraft follows a much larger aircraft too closely, the risk of encountering severe wake turbulence is heightened. The flight crew may choose to execute a go-around to allow the wake to dissipate or to gain a safe distance.
- Sudden Wind Shear or Microbursts are weather phenomena that present an immediate threat to an aircraft on final approach. Wind shear is a rapid change in wind speed or direction over a short distance, which can cause sudden losses of airspeed and lift. Encountering these conditions requires an immediate escape maneuver, applying maximum power to climb out of the hazardous area.
The Safety Mandate and Decision Threshold
The philosophy guiding the go-around decision is rooted in the principle that attempting to salvage an unstable approach is significantly more hazardous than executing a safe climb-out and trying again. Aviation operators establish a clear decision threshold, such as the 500-foot altitude gate, which acts as a non-negotiable boundary. If the aircraft is not fully stabilized by this point, the decision to abort the landing is already made.
Hesitation is a risk factor when an approach becomes compromised. The delay in applying thrust and pitching up reduces the safety margin, making the maneuver more challenging near the ground. Prompt action ensures the aircraft has adequate time and altitude to transition safely to a climb.
Pilots are trained to view the go-around procedure as a standard maneuver, pre-briefed before every approach, and not as an emergency. The professional decision to execute a go-around demonstrates a commitment to operational limits, prioritizing the safety of passengers, crew, and aircraft above all other considerations.
What Happens After a Go-Around
Once the go-around maneuver is underway, the flight crew immediately communicates their action to Air Traffic Control (ATC). The crew reports executing a missed approach and often provides a brief reason, such as “going around due to traffic.” This communication is essential for ATC to re-sequence the aircraft and ensure separation from other traffic.
The aircraft is typically vectored back into the approach flow, either into a holding pattern or re-cleared for a subsequent approach. The routing depends on the airport’s traffic density and the issue that caused the climb-out. During this time, the crew executes checklists to ensure the aircraft is correctly configured for the climb and subsequent approach.
Effective crew coordination is necessary during this phase to manage the high workload and prepare for the next landing attempt. The crew analyzes the cause of the go-around to ensure the issue does not recur. This systematic process ensures the aircraft returns for a safe and stable landing attempt.