𝗔 𝗦𝗛𝗢𝗥𝗧 𝗚𝗨𝗜𝗗𝗘 𝗧𝗢 𝗚𝗢-𝗔𝗥𝗢𝗨𝗡𝗗𝗦

 

A SHORT GUIDE TO
GO-AROUNDS

Have you ever experienced a go-around in a plane?

The plane is on final approach, when the pilot increases throttle, retracts flaps and retracts the landing gear, aborting the landing. After that, the pilot follows the approach pattern again and attempts another landing.

That is called a go-around.

Now, why should a pilot abort the approach just before landing, and why should the flaps be retracted?

Well, you have come to the right blog to learn about that!

First, let’s have an overview on what is final approach.

Final approach is the last leg of the landing when the plane lines up with the runway and descends at the correct rate.

A Boeing 787 Dreamliner on final approach.

Now, a pilot may decide to go-around for various reasons, such as an unstable approach, the plane does not touch down in the landing zone, if there is any obstacle on the runway (other aircraft, vehicles or even animals), severe weather, controllability issues, and also if ATC (Air Traffic Control) signals to the plane to go around.

Now since we have an overview on a go-around and the reasons leading to a go-around, we can have a basic overview of a go-around checklist.

Now, what is a go-around checklist?

Well, it is the set of instructions a pilot should follow while executing a go around.

Basic Go-Around Checklist: -

•  Increase Throttle
• Retract flaps
•  Set required pitch trim
• Gear up

A MD-82 conducts a low level go-around.

Since we now have an overview on a basic go-around checklist, we should now understand the importance of retracting flaps during a go-around.

Now, what are flaps?

Flaps are integral control surfaces of planes, placed on the trailing edge of the wing.

Flaps help to reduce the stall speed of an aircraft. Stall speed is the speed when a plane’s wing stops producing lift. Flaps help the wing generate the lift required when flying at low speeds, during times such as takeoff and landing.

Extended Flaps

Then, why are flaps retracted during go-arounds?

Well, not only do flaps produce extra lift, but also produce extra drag. They also reduce the climb rate of a plane, and a high climb rate and minimum drag (Landing gear is also retracted for reducing drag) is very important during a go-around, since the plane needs to outclimb its descent.

Now, I will narrate my personal experience with a go-around.

Indigo Flight 6E-344, an Airbus A320 Neo, took off from Calcutta International Airport at 1:15 p.m., 14^th March 2021, after some delays due to some technical issues. After the short 55-minute flight, 6E-344 was on final approach to Silchar Airport. It was a smooth flight, but on final approach, I started to notice something unusual. The descent rate was not appropriate. It was coming in too fast, and would have landed after the touchdown zone. But luckily, the pilots chose to go-around at the right time. About 100 feet from the ground, the pilots increased the throttle and executed a go-around at Silchar airport. The landing was quite smooth, with a descent rate of about 100 fpm.