Flight School: The Touch-and-Go

Pia Bergqvist

Friday, August 19, 2011 at 07:30 PM ET

Verified

Key Takeaways:

One flight instructor argues against touch-and-goes for new students, emphasizing that takeoffs and landings are unique, separate events requiring individual practice, proper after-landing procedures, and instructor feedback for safety.
Conversely, another instructor advocates for touch-and-goes, citing their efficiency in providing more repetitions of approach and landing elements, helping students master the flare, and practicing critical go-around skills.
Both instructors acknowledge specific circumstances where touch-and-goes are inappropriate, such as certain takeoff types, short runways, or solo students in adverse conditions, underscoring the need for careful judgment.

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Are touch-and-goes a good idea during flight training?

William F. Ball_ has been an active flight instructor for 30 years and a designated pilot examiner (DPE) for 21 years. He conducts testing and certification activities for all FAA certificates and ratings. He has given more than 8,000 hours of flight instruction and is currently an instructor for SimCom, teaching in the Cessna Citation CE-500 and CE-525 jet programs. He says:_