Go Arounds - do you use?

[vonduck 99]

Well, interesting experience in my flight form LEBB to EIDW (Dublin)... using the Fenix A320....

The route and runways were supplied by Pilots Life 2... flying Aer Lingus which just employed me, so first flight...

Usually im not to fussed about reviewing the Go Around procedure as up to this point of flying, Ive never used it or had too... but...

After configuring for landing in filthy live weather...almost zero visibility in Dublin...im on the glide slope to 28R... only to find at 300 feet there IS NO 28R in the default scenery! Just what looked like earthworks and trees!

So for the first time (and in order not to crash and waste 1.5 hours of my tracked flight) i executed a hasty go around and configured for 28L which went well... it was quite a nerve wracking moment i must admit!

Do any other pilots here actually review the go around procedure - just in case?

[martinboehme 589]

I do brief the missed approach as part of the approach - but I don't practice them as much as I should. And every time I do, I realize how rusty I've become.

[mrlip 56]

I always fly on vatsim so will always take a look at the missed approach procedure just in case it’s needed. Fly in/out of Gatwick a lot so it’s good to be familiar with it there! Can sometimes receive landing clearance a second or two before hitting minimums….

[environmental_ice 247]

I was coming in on 10R at Fort Lauderdale once (the sloped runway side) LVFR scenery and weather was terrible. Couldn't see anything in front of me and I got scared last minute and went around as to not crash as well. I technically knew I never did an autoland on that side so I wasn't sure if it was safe or not. Sometimes airports Flytampa Las Vegas for one in MSFS just have bad glideslopes so I normally like to do an autoland with clear weather so I can make a note for the future if it's not really usable if I actually needed it.
 

Anyways everything completely snowballed and got worse as I went around. I did make it around for a 10L approach autoland but ever since that event I always review the procedure. Likely ATC wasn't online at the time but had they been it would have been even worse for me

Edited July 18, 2023 by environmental_ice

[F737MAX 5,858]

That must have been interesting! Never had a go-around for as something as significant as a missing runway.

If you have a Navigraph charts sub and use SimBrief, why wouldn't you prepare for one? On the odd occasion a float, a bounced landing or an AI very slow to take-off made a good landing impossible. Therefore a go-around was much more satisfying than a bad landing and can turn a good flight into a great one.

[Dominique_K 10,156]

The numerous Go Around one has to do in the sims, have always amused me (well, kind of). In the real life, in tens of years, I had only one Go Around, in Madrid because the aircraft which had landed before mine was slow to vacate the runway. 

Edited July 18, 2023 by Dominique_K

[carlanthony24 593]

Always prepare for a go around especially since always flying on Vatsim

[sniper31 656]

Just because I enjoy trying to follow procedures (never been a real pilot of any kind), I make attempts to brief the Go Around, and I think I have only had to put it into action one time. I don't remember the details, but I am sure it was due to some virtual piloting screw up on my end 🙂 I would like to do a better job of looking at the Go Around procedure and briefing it while simming, as I don't always remember. Hmmm, maybe I should make a personal check list 🤔 😁

[G550flyer 1,056]

Yep, those go around procedures are just as important as the landing procedures. Now real world, you will practice plenty go arounds during recurrents. Back in my USAF days, we had M10s(proficiency sorties) that were part of your required beans to accomplish each quarter. At a minimum, you needed a takeoff, VFR traffic pattern, instrument approach and a missed approach. But as usual, you would get more than that on a typical training flight. You still pieced together those items from actual missions to throw together a pro sortie. Whether it be VATSIM, pilot's life or just putzing around in sim, you will still run into those situations that you will go around. Live weather leads you astray, traffic enters the runway or you just ruined the descent which led to a ruined approach. It's good to know those go around procedures fluently.

Now, at times in the sim, I will load up with only the intentions of doing VFR and RADAR pattern work. Not only does it keeps me proficient in those areas, it also keeps me fresh in the different planes I use in sim. I try to do them in certain planes because a king air, 787, scarebus and the MD80 will all have some different characteristics and procedures. So pick an airport from sky vector that has a good mix of precision and non precision approaches. Load up your favorite aircraft and start out with the instrument work to include some circling and finish up with a few VFR circuits. As you work the RADAR pattern, throw in a couple holds. Holding after going missed is a good way to setup your next approach. If you don't want to fly the full missed, do what I do real world. Ask for local climb out procedures. These are usually a specific heading and altitude as you flow back into the RADAR pattern. Can be as simple as runway heading to 2000.     

[davenicoll 104]

Ironic this has been raised...

I flew for the first time in a few years online the other day doing some VFR circuits at Jersey airport.

Looks like my call to say I was on final caught the controllers changing over as I was met with silence so I continued my approach and just short of the threshold I had still not heard anything so I initiated a go around as per real life and called out the go around...

Eventually I was contacted and the voice was different making me feel they had changed over.

It did not detract from me thoroughly enjoying the experience and my initial nerves soon settled and I felt handled ATC quite well.

Dave

[flibberflops 74]

I have zero experence of piloting in real life but I always thought that it was standard practice to have a primary expectaction to perform a go around in every approach. Touchdown is always a secondary consideration?

[WestAir 2,533]

Into JFK the other day during the insane rainstorm. RVR was probably 50 feet.

I tried to fly the CAT III down to the runway without autopilot but almost took out the aircraft holding short. I went around late because I really wanted to arrive on time so I didn't lose points with my pax addon.

Second attempt I just threw in autoland. Don't know how people fly a CAT III approaches by hand. It's insanely sensitive at the end. Though I guess with the mins it was CAT III C I would've lost the plot if it was A anyways.

[davenicoll 104]

5 minutes ago, flibberflops said:

I have zero experence of piloting in real life but I always thought that it was standard practice to have a primary expectaction to perform a go around in every approach. Touchdown is always a secondary consideration?

Whilst like you I have zero experience of piloting in real life but would think the opposite is true.

 

When on final and stable the expectation would be to land as normal BUT have experience of executing a go around if required, either by you spotting something or called for by ATC.

[WestAir 2,533]

38 minutes ago, davenicoll said:

Whilst like you I have zero experience of piloting in real life but would think the opposite is true.

I think it's a "each instructor teaches something different" sort of thing.

I was taught that during take-off, you should be expecting to abort, but taking off is pretty cool. Same with landing; Be ready to perform a go-around, but if that doesn't happen then that's just good fortune. I liked saying to students "During the roll you're looking for reasons to abort" (Like if you're not airborne by half the runway length, just abort) or "During approach you're looking for reasons to go around" (like if you overshoot base to final, don't correct, just go around.)

The goal is to never be this guy: (He departed the field 3 hours after this video by the way. I imagine it takes longer than that for an inspection and ferry permit.)

 

Edited July 19, 2023 by WestAir

[davenicoll 104]

3 hours ago, WestAir said:

"During approach you're looking for reasons to go around" (like if you overshoot base to final, don't correct, just go around.)

Yes, that's why I put in it being a stable approach, but consistent monitoring and if a reason pops up then a Go Around is initiated.