Im either lucky or I dont fly enough: In more than 30 years of flying airplanes for personal transportation, Ive had to execute a for-real missed approach in IMC exactly twice. On both occasions, weather was the main culprit. At least thats my excuse. Both flights ended after a successful ILS approach. Of course, those two occasions dont include the trips I delayed or didnt make for weather-related reasons. 288
Miss Opportunity Approaches
Im either lucky or I dont fly enough: In more than 30 years of flying airplanes for personal transportation, Ive had to execute a for-real missed approach in IMC exactly twice. On both occasions, weather was the main culprit. At least thats my excuse. Both flights ended after a successful ILS approach. Of course, those two occasions dont include the trips I delayed or didnt make for weather-related reasons. In more than one instance, Ive waited out weather but still arrived at my destination before I had to be there. Theres no real secret to this kind of reliable personal-airplane use. Its a fairly simple matter of planning, keeping open as many options as possible, knowing what the options are and then-when its necessary-making the decision to execute the appropriate plan.
Key Takeaways:
- The author recounts personal experiences with missed approaches and diversions, highlighting that they are an inevitable part of IFR flying due to weather or pilot error.
- A core lesson for IFR pilots is to always anticipate and plan for a missed approach by having a clear "Plan B" (alternate airport or approach) prepared in advance, rather than reacting scramblingly.
- Key safety advice includes understanding weather trends, avoiding repeated attempts at the same flawed approach without knowing what went wrong, and practically considering the nearest reliable alternate (like an ILS) in addition to legally required alternates.
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