Missed Approaches

Climbing to hold over an airport to wait for better weather or traffic is nearly always referenced against a VOR that is located on or very close to the airport, so you really cant get lost. Plus, theres at least one runway right below in case of any issues that might develop. Whats more, obstacle clearance is straightforward-poles, towers and trees are only so tall and you dont have to worry about encountering significant terrain rising up from the airport itself.

Elaine Kauh

Tuesday, July 12, 2016 at 12:00 AM ET

Verified

Key Takeaways:

While many "climb-in-hold" missed approach procedures appear straightforward, subtle differences in wording and symbology can lead to critical misinterpretations.
The ILS 3 missed approach at Grand Canyon (KGCN) serves as a "gotcha" example, where ambiguous phrasing could lead pilots to climb straight out before entering the hold, risking terrain clearance.
Thorough analysis of all approach components—including textual instructions, profile/plan views, other airport procedures, and local terrain—is crucial to correctly interpret and safely execute complex missed approaches.

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Climbing to hold over an airport to wait for better weather or traffic is nearly always referenced against a VOR that is located on or very close to the airport, so you really can’t get lost. Plus, there’s at least one runway right below in case of any issues that might develop.

What’s more, obstacle clearance is straightforward—poles, towers and trees are only so tall and you don’t have to worry about encountering significant terrain rising up from the airport itself. So those missed procedures that require what we know as a climb-in-hold are going to be easy to spot, right? Well, mostly…