It’s important to know how and when to perform a go-around. [Credit: Meg Godlewski]
Key Takeaways:
Go-arounds are critical safety maneuvers for pilots, as knowing when not to land is more important than how to land, preventing accidents often caused by attempting to salvage bad landings.
Proficiency in executing go-arounds involves thorough pre-landing checks (GUMPS), correct flap management, proper aircraft trim, and applying right rudder to counteract left-turning tendencies upon power application.
Pilots must maintain strong situational awareness to identify conditions warranting a go-around, such as an unstable approach, runway obstacles, incorrect runway alignment, or instructions from ATC or CFIs.
This is what my instructor said when he taught me how to do a go-around, also known as a balked landing. Knowing when not to land is more important than how to land because trying to salvage a bad landing often leads to an accident.
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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.
![It’s important to know how to do a go-around. [Credit: Meg Godlewski]](https://www.flyingmag.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/04/VFR-into-IFR-smoke-scaled-e1681249141756.jpg)
