Training and Workforce
AINsight: You Can (and Should) Always Go Around
Why not teach new pilots to go around before learning how to land?
business jet from rear
© AdobeStock

There is a song earworming its way through my brain, and the line that just won’t go away is: “You can always go around.” Ken Dravis’ song “Go Around” was released in 2003 on the album “Flying: Home To You” and accurately captures not only what goes on in a pilot’s mind on final approach but also that feeling we’ve all probably had, where our instructor is sitting on our shoulder telling us what to do.

The subject of go-arounds is on my mind not only because every year we seem to lose more pilots crashing after a go-around attempt but also due to the discussion about unstable approaches. The advice to go around if an approach continues to be unstable is good, but from the accident record, it’s clear that go-arounds aren’t always conducted properly.