Go-around

References

• Airplane Flying Handbook, Chapter 8 — Approaches and Landings, Go-Arounds (Rejected Landings), pages 8-12 - 8-14
• Cessna C172SP POH

Keywords

Go-around, Balked landing, Rejected landing — These are all different names for the same thing

Overview

The go-around is one of the most important procedures that every pilot should master. When something isn't going right on an approach or landing, the go-around is designed to help you transition from the current situation back to safe, controlled, flight back to pattern altitude so that you may try the landing again.

Unfortunately, the go-around procedure is also one of the procedures that I see pilots get wrong most often — sometimes very wrong!

Lesson Goal

This lesson will explain and clarify the correct procedure for a go-around, and supply supporting references.

To get the most out of this lesson, I encourage you to read the entire Go-Arounds (Rejected Landings) section of the AFH, as well as the appropriate section(s) of your relevant POH.

When, and why, should you execute a go-around?

The go-around (aka balked landing) is designed to be used any time during the approach and landing process that the pilot decides that the approach is not properly stabilized, the landing is not working out to be safe and reasonable, when excessive corrections would be needed, or when a safety problem presents itself (such as a suddenly contaminated runway). The go-around decision can be made while still out on the approach, during short final, when directly over the runway, or even if already in contact with the runway during touchdown or roll-out.

What about a Touch-and-go Landing?

The touch-and-go landing is actually nothing more than a planned balked landing (aka, a go-around), and should be executed as such. (Do not use a different procedure for a touch-and-go vs a go-around.) Not only is a go-around the appropriate procedure to transition from the landing to a viable takeoff, but it also conditions the pilot to execute the correct procedure if/when an unplanned go-around is needed.

Go-around Procedure

Although there can be particular nuances that are particular to specific makes and models of aircraft, the general procedure applies across most airplanes. Here are the steps, in sequence:

1. Apply full power - This is necessary to be able to transition from the landing to climbing away from the ground and to the relative safety of pattern altitude. If necessary, it is usually possible to climb with flaps, but not without power. Application of power should be smooth but timely, and should only take 1-3 seconds to move the throttle. The plane can now start to increase speed and/or altitude as applicable.
2. Reduce flaps (if fully deployed) by one notch - It is important that this be done immediately after the initial increase in power. The reason for this reduction in flaps is that the last notch of flaps is mostly drag for little additional lift. By reducing the flaps by one notch you are greatly reducing the drag but not greatly reducing the lift. Note that this reduction is not to the no-flap position since that would risk a significant reduction of lift leading to a possible sink or stall of the aircraft.
3. Get the plane under control - This means bringing the aircraft to a relatively neutral pitch (basically nose level - not too high, and not too low), wings level, and cross-check for the correct amount of rudder. This will help get pitch and airspeed under control. The neutral pitch position, rather than an initial pitch-up attitude, is intended to keep the airplane in ground effect (if initially low and slow) until it can reach a safe speed to climb out of ground effect. You should also maneuver the aircraft to make sure to stay over the runway since this is typically the best place to be to avoid obstacles. The only exception to staying over the runway is if you should offset from the runway in order to avoid (not overtake) and aircraft in front of you.
4. Start a climb - Once the aircraft is under control, a climb may be initiated, as long as the appropriate speeds are reached.
5. Retract gear - If your aircraft has retractable gear, the gear may now be retracted as long as you have a positive rate of climb and no useful runway remaining.
6. Check / Wait for the appropriate flap reduction speed - Now, with full power applied, the flaps reduced, and the plane under control, the speed should be increasing. Further reduce the flaps by one notch once the appropriate speed is reached.
7. Clear obstacles - Depending on the particular aircraft, clearing obstacles may require maintaining a notch of flaps and/or using an appropriate obstacle clearance speed.
8. Check / Wait for the appropriate flap reduction speed - Once any obstacles are cleared, and your airspeed is at the appropriate value, you should reduce any remaining flaps and adjust the pitch to an appropriate value.
9. Climb at Vy - You should now be at full power, with no flaps, and at the approximate pitch for a Vy climb. Allow the airspeed to increase to Vy and then adjust the pitch to continue to climb at Vy (or an appropriate climb speed for your aircraft and the situation). Make sure to use the correct amount of rudder for coordinated flight.
10. The go-around procedure is now complete - transition to normal flight.

Cessna C172SP

Here is, verbatim, what the Cessna C172SP POH says about a balked landing, aka a go-around:

BALKED LANDING

1. Throttle -- FULL OPEN.
2. Wing Flaps -- RETRACT TO 20°.
3. Climb Speed -- 60 KIAS.
4. Wing Flaps -- 10° (until obstacles are cleared). RETRACT (after reaching a safe altitude and 65 KIAS).

In a balked landing (go-around) climb, reduce the flap setting to 20° immediately after full power is applied. If obstacles must be cleared during the go-around climb, reduce the wing flap setting to 10° and maintain a safe airspeed until the obstacles are cleared. Above 3000 feet, lean the mixture to obtain maximum RPM. After clearing any obstacles, the flaps may be retracted as the airplane accelerates to the normal flaps up climb speed.

Key Points from the above procedure:

1. THE VERY FIRST THING TO DO IS TO APPLY FULL POWER - Think of it this way: If you only have time to take one initial action, what should that action be? It should be to add full power! The reason? Because you can actually climb and fly the pattern with full power even if you forget to retract the flaps appropriately. (It's not pretty, and it may not work at altitude, but at sea level it's doable.) But the same can not be said for retracting the flaps but leaving the power at idle!
2. THE SECOND THING TO DO, IMMEDIATELY AFTER APPLYING FULL POWER, IS TO REDUCE THE FLAPS TO 20° - (This is assuming that the flaps were set to full, aka 30°.) The reason for this is that the last notch of flaps is mostly drag for little additional lift. So by reducing from full flaps to 20° you are greatly reducing the drag but not greatly reducing the lift.
3. Next, get the plane under control - Although not explicitly mentioned in the Cessna procedure, there should be a step 2.5 (between steps 2 and 3) to get the airplane under control. This means a relatively neutral pitch (basically nose level - not too high, and not too low), wings level, and cross-check for the correct amount of rudder. This will help get pitch and airspeed under control. The neutral pitch position, rather than an initial pitch-up attitude, is intended to keep the airplane in ground effect (if initially low and slow) until it can reach a safe speed to climb out of ground effect.
4. Check for / wait for the first speed gate - Now, with full power applied, the flaps reduced (if previously full), and the plane under control, the speed should be increasing. Once 60 knots is reached (or possibly already exceeded) you should reduce the flaps to 10°.
5. Wait until obstacles are cleared - Staying at 10° and 60 knots until obstacles are cleared assures the best climb gradient and the best chance to clear the obstacle (if near-in). Once the obstacle is cleared, you should allow the airspeed to continue to increase.
6. Check for / wait for the next speed gate - Once 65 knots is reached (or possibly already exceeded), and obstacles are cleared, you should then reduce the flaps to 0° (no flaps).
7. Climb at Vy (or as appropriate) - You should now be at full power, no flaps, and at or above 65 knots. Allow the airspeed to increase to Vy (74 knots at sea level), or as appropriate, and then adjust the pitch to continue to climb at the desired speed. Make sure to use the correct amount of rudder for coordinated flight.

Common Errors

Errors that I see most often (in rough order of sequence / importance):

1. Indecisiveness on initiating the go-around
2. Failure to apply full power (in a smooth but timely manner) before touching the flaps (or gear)
3. Abrupt power application causing the engine to falter, or the pitch to make an undesired change
4. Failure to retract initial notch of flaps (from landing position) immediately after applying power
5. Reacting all flaps at once
6. Failure to retract flaps only after reaching the appropriate speeds
7. Initial application of too much pitch up or down (should initially bring nose to roughly neutral)
8. Climbing out of ground effect before reaching the appropriate speed
9. Failure to apply appropriate rudder for coordinated flight (must compensate for torque/P factor)
10. Failure to to stay over the runway centerline for obstacle avoidance
11. Failure to maintain adequate control of the aircraft
12. Failure to climb at Vy (or Vx if/as appropriate)

List of errors from the Airplane Flying Handbook:

1. Failure to recognize a condition that warrants a rejected landing
2. Indecision
3. Delay in initiating a go-around
4. Failure to apply maximum allowable power in a timely manner
5. Abrupt power application
6. Improper pitch attitude
7. Failure to configure the airplane appropriately
8. Attempting to climb out of ground effect prematurely
9. Failure to adequately compensate for torque/P factor
10. Loss of aircraft control