Go Arounds

S

SkyGirl

New Member
Hey,

I live near EWR and listen to the CT on my transciever and recently have heard many pilots say they are 'going around.' The first few times I rationalized it due to IFR conditions, shaky approaches and such. A few days ago, when I was driving by the airport in beautiful VFR conditions, I saw a 757 go around, which got me really thinking about big planes that chose to go around at big airports. I perform go-arounds all the time and they seem like no big deal in my little 152, but I'd think its a bit more difficult to do in a jet. So, what would cause a go around (is it a checklist type decision or at the discretion of the pilot or both)? Where do the planes go? What do the passengers know/think? Are there ramifications for the pilots?

Furthermore, one time when a pilot opted to go around, ATC asked them to go hold somewhere and the pilot said they were unable, due to fuel restraints. ATC preceed to get an attitude and give him a hard time. In the end, the plane ended up holding above the airport until a landing slot became available. Another pilot from the same company even offered to hold so the plane could take his landing slot (is this allowed?). I was disappointed that the pilot's concerns were received so poorly. I'd love to hear your thoughts and experiences about big planes going around.

Happy Flying!
 
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Hey,

I perform go-arounds all the time and they seem like no big deal in my little 152, but I'd think its a bit more difficult to do in a jet. So, what would cause a go around (is it a checklist type decision or at the discretion of the pilot or both)? Where do the planes go? What do the passengers know/think? Are there ramifications for the pilots?


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No different in a bigger jet, a go around is a go around; just jets do them less often. Planes go around for spacing purposes, FOD on runway, etc. Jet flies into a visual pattern (remain with tower) or back to radar. Who cares what the pax think, though the Captain will probably let them know. No ramifications that I can think of.

On your second example with the little info available, ATC should be a little more flexible, IMO, but then again I don't know their workoad at the time. Either way, no need for attitudes.
 
Students aren't the only ones who can botch an approach, particularly a visual approach. The heavies tend to do a much more consistent job on the ILS, go figure.

As for ATC surliness, remember we're talking about Newark here, and until a pilot declares an emergency, they often couldn't care less about whatever "personal issues" a pilot is dealing with. If that dude had declared an emergency though, he would have gotten top priority and NY Approach would have dealt with the rest of them.
 
I've done a few, a couple times for weather, but more often than not is when ATC screws up the spacing between aircraft. They try their best to match speeds on the approach and space aircraft 4 miles in trail, but generally if the pilot in front of you flying 180 knots to the middle marker, doesn't get his aircraft slowed appropriately and misses the high speed turnoff, if you didn't 'cheat' a little and slow about a mile or so early, he probably won't clear the runway in time to avoid going around.

I think it's a scary fusion between the bean counters pressing for a higher arrival rate and controllers that are being pressed to decrease seperation and stretch the limits of airspace demands.
 
SkyGirl
Well I have a few go around stories for you.
1. Landing Navy Jax GA # 1 an inbound declares an emergency, I was on downwind and the inbound was about 10miles out but the CT broke me out of the pattern, sent me to a hold. 15 min later ATC brought me back in and on final told me to GA # 2. Crash Rescue had not released the runway back to the tower. Enter pattern and on base was eye to eye with a P-3, Tower wasn't talking to them approach was and neglected to coordinate in a timely manner = GA # 3. Re entered traffic and because of another conflict between approach who was vectoring P-3's on PAR's (radar approaches) was issued yet another GA # 4. CT asked me my intentions I answered To land and off load my passengers then I would be requesting a meeting with him and the tower chief. I wrote the situation up on a hazard report form and while CT was not neccessarily at fault the ATC function had a major disconnect.

2.Inbound ILS at PRC at night, non radar, in a jet, and CT working a VFR guy clears him for a short approach to land, normally not a big deal but this VFR guy was unfamiliar and continued flying his B-52 / US AIR pattern and I told the CT it wasn't goiong to work out, CT assures me it would. I then again informed CT that it wasn't going to work as we were inside the marker and gaining on the much slower VFR traffic, just when I though OK this might work out the VFR guy stops on the runway because he didn't know which way to turn ... 100' AGL Full Flaps = night time go around with ATC telling us to do the published missed, problem is that requires a right turn off the approach and he was working EmbryRiddle airplanes in the right pattern for the right runway, we told the CT we needed left turns and he instantly realized we were right.

3. Inbound ILS in IMC conditions inside the OM and the tower queries a VFR C-152 of his positon, he replies final for the same runway I am flying the ILS to in a jet, after blinking our eyes twice we break out and see the little guy = GA. Had a "nice" talk with the pilot and CFI of the C-152.
 
I have also heard of some smaller jets like Lears, Citations, etc. doing a go-around just to get a visual on a runway into an unfamiliar airport.
For instance, I fly out of SMO(Santa Monica) and our "instrument" approach sytem is super-wack. Basically, we just have a VOR off centerline. When it's hazy it is common for unfamiliar pilots to follow the VOR thus getting a fix on the runway then going around to stick the landing
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Can you guys/gals believe that I fly commericially like alot and I mean alot. I'm a CSR @ CVG and I I-9 alot and I have never, ever been ina commercial airliner that has performed a "go around".

I think a "go around" would be so exciting. I'ts like stretching a buck. Or getting seconds or thirds at the dinner table.

Everytime I fly commerically when were on approach to land I always cross my fingers and pray, pray that we have to do a go around for some reason so that I can stay in the plane just a lil bit longer.

Most times flying is typically the most exciting part of the vacation to me...yes I need help anyone suggest a good doctor.
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I had one last night. I decided to go up with a buddy for a little night sightseeing. Plus, I was getting close to the 90 days so I decided to do three landings to stay night current.

Anyway, I'm flying into an uncontrolled airport, figuring I'll do my three landings and then I'll be all set. I enter the downwind and someone announces he's going to be departing right after I make my call. Fine, I figure. He'll be long gone before I get there. So I go in and turn base and make my call, and he still hasn't left, but I figure he'll be rolling soon. I turn final, make the call, and I'm sure this will get his butt rolling.

Wrong. Now I execute a go around, and make the call.

You know what the stupid SOB starts doing right after I call going around?

You guessed it, he starts rolling.

My friend said that we probably didn't need any nav lights, my face was so red because I was steamed.

Another scary go around that I had was on one of my first cross country solos. There was some pretty wicked wind shear when I came back to my home airport. The wind shifted from a head wind to a tail wind just when I was starting to flare, and I floated big time. I didn't like it, so I executed a go around, but with the tailwind, I was like, come on, climb, climb, climb.

The folks on the ground said I was never in a situation that was really dangerous, but I sure felt like I just barely cleared those trees!
 
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