Of all the maneuvers you will learn during your primary flight training, the touch and go will be the one you practice most often. [FLYING file photo]
Key Takeaways:
The touch-and-go is a complex, high-workload maneuver requiring rapid, precise actions to transition from landing to immediate takeoff.
Common hazards include loss of directional control, power-on stalls, and improper flap or gear retraction, especially in retractable aircraft, which can lead to serious incidents.
Safe execution prioritizes meticulous aircraft control and a disciplined, sequential cleanup process, such as confirming positive climb rate before retracting flaps.
The "faux pattern" is an effective high-altitude training method used to practice the touch-and-go sequence and demonstrate the consequences of incorrect flap management.
Of all the maneuvers you will learn during your primary flight training, the touch and go will be the one you practice most often.
The touch and go is a variation on a normal landing. Instead of bringing the aircraft to a complete stop, after the aircraft touches down, you add full power to takeoff. It is sort of a modified go-around.
CREATE A FREE ACCOUNT
Sign up to keep reading
Create a free account to continue. Already a member? Sign in below.
Meg Godlewski has been an aviation journalist for more than 24 years and a CFI for more than 20 years. If she is not flying or teaching aviation, she is writing about it. Meg is a founding member of the Pilot Proficiency Center at EAA AirVenture and excels at the application of simulation technology to flatten the learning curve. Follow Meg on Twitter @2Lewski.
