Why Every Approach Should Be a Go-Around—Until It’s Not
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Most pilots learn to fly a go-around early in training, usually in calm conditions with a CFI ready to coach them through the steps: cram it (power up), climb it (pitch up), clean it (flaps, gear), call it (communicate). It’s one of the standard maneuvers on the checkride, and it’s often treated like just that—a maneuver.
But in the real world, go-arounds are rarely that clean, rarely that calm, and rarely expected. They’re typically flown at low altitude, in high workload conditions, with the airplane trimmed for final approach and the pilot mentally committed to landing. That’s not a great combination.
The result? Many pilots simply aren’t trigger-ready. And that’s a problem.
Two Go-Arounds, Two Reminders
I’ve had two go-arounds in recent months while flying professionally—both of them stark reminders that the decision to go around isn’t just a checkbox; it’s a mindset.
The first was on final approach to a busy runway in Orlando. Tower cleared us to land while a Falcon jet was still taxiing at high speed down the runway. From where we sat, the spacing just didn’t feel right. As pilot in command, I made the decision that there wasn’t enough room to safely continue, and I initiated a go-around.
From the cockpit, it was the right call. But from the cabin, it felt sudden and probably a little scary. I could hear the surprise from passengers as the engines spooled up and the nose came up. Now I had two jobs: fly the airplane and explain, calmly and clearly, that everything was fine. Even with two pilots up front, this is a lot. It was a textbook example of how quickly things can change—and how important it is to be mentally prepared to act without hesitation.
The second go-around came while on short final to the Northeast Florida Regional Airport. Tower had cleared us to land, but still opted to depart a Skyhawk in front of us. This time, the controller saw the spacing was too tight and called for the go-around. We had to sidestep left to avoid the departing airplane and set up for a VFR pattern back around to the runway. And after the dust settled, make the same explanation to the passengers.
It was a good reminder that even at towered fields, you’re not immune from traffic surprises—and that sometimes you’ll be forced into a go-around with very little warning.
We Don’t Practice This Enough
Suddenly adding full power and climbing requires quick and aggressive control input and re-trimming.
Those two situations had something in common: the go-around wasn’t planned. That’s usually how it goes. But unlike a touch-and-go or an ILS to minimums, we don’t typically train to go around in the middle of a normal flight. It’s almost always introduced in ideal conditions and practiced by rote.
That’s not good enough.
We teach that every approach should be a stabilized approach—and that’s true—but we should also teach that every approach should be a potential go-around. Not as a pessimistic outlook, but as a readiness state. If your finger is already hovering over the go-around button—literally or mentally—you’re much more likely to respond decisively when it matters.
The Anatomy of a Surprise Go-Around
What makes the go-around so challenging, especially when it’s unplanned? A few key factors:
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Configuration Shock: You’re trimmed for final, probably with full flaps and gear. Suddenly adding full power and climbing requires quick and aggressive control input and re-trimming.
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Low Energy State: You’re often flying slow, near the ground, and in close proximity to obstacles. There’s very little margin for error.
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High Workload: In an instant, your mental model shifts from “land” to “go.” You’re now flying a new flight path, making radio calls, reconfiguring the airplane, and maybe calming passengers—all at once.
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Infrequency: Unless you fly in the airlines or in training scenarios where go-arounds are part of standard procedure, you probably haven’t flown one recently.
This all adds up to a maneuver that demands proficiency—but rarely gets practiced.
What Pilots and Instructors Can Do
Every approach is a missed approach until it’s a landing.
To build real-world go-around readiness, we need to rethink how we approach it in training:
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Normalize the Go-Around: Take away the stigma. A go-around isn’t a failure—it’s a smart, safe, and often heroic choice.
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Practice Them Randomly: In training flights or reviews, call for a go-around at different points in the approach—even when everything seems fine.
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Brief It, Always: Make the go-around part of every approach briefing, even in the pattern. “If we go around, we’ll add takeoff/go-around power, pitch to takeoff attitude, and clean up the airplane…”
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Involve the Passenger Brief: Let your passengers know it’s a normal procedure. A simple line—“If we go around, it’s just a precaution to ensure spacing and safety”—can go a long way toward reducing their anxiety.
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Emphasize Immediate Action: Like a rejected takeoff, the go-around should be instinctive and immediate. Hesitation is what causes trouble.
Final Approach
A wise instructor once told me: “Every approach is a missed approach until it’s a landing.” That mindset has stuck with me—and it’s helped me stay alert and ready to act, even when things seem routine.
The two go-arounds I’ve had to fly recently weren’t dramatic emergencies. But they were clear examples of why we need to be mentally and physically prepared to act without delay. There’s no shame in going around—but there can be real risk in hesitating to do so.
Be trigger-ready. Every time.
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I’m not a CFI but would like to add and maybe suggest to those that are in regards to go arounds.
Yes, we practice them during PPL training – plenty. But typically it’s due to an unstabilized approach, a surprise gust and/or crosswind and we go around. Our CFI typically debriefs us on what went wrong during the approach/roundout/flare (yes, it feels like we failed…). And that association of failure and go around begins then. Instead, and to help new pilots associate the go around with great ADM and PIC authority – stress the great decision to go around, ensure they understand that is part of being successful.
Early on (and I’m not seasoned yet… still learning every day), I got in a situation where I didnt have the go around mindset. Winds flip flopped during final, got a quartering tailwind and I saved the landing by the skin of my teeth and not without staining my drawers. I 100% should have gone around. I failed as PIC. I changed my mindset that day to ensure a go around was part of every landing. I believe as a student I felt like the go around was the final step of my failed landing attempt so it felt like it was associated with the failure too. That mindset can be changed early on… and should be… with the help of CFIs.
Fly safe!
Agree 100%. Great article. If I can add to the commenter above – CFIs should teach that a bodged landing is a failure to go around.
I reckon more C172s would not have bent firewalls if this was internalised by schools
Outstanding article. Thanks for writing it. I also appreciate a first commenter’s reasoning about why we may visualize the ground as a failure. Nicely done.
Agree with above, go-arounds fall into 2 categories, external and internal causes. External, you see the world setting you up and are mentally prepared to go-around due to a healthy paranoia.
Internal, you have to admit to yourself that you are putting yourself in a corner and then have to shift gears while not at your best (that’s how you got here). Practice makes the maneuver “automatic” so that even when your head isn’t in the game, you have a good basis to succeed.
Excellent article!!
My then girl friends Father was an Air Force pilot, and when he learned that I too was about to start training as an AIr Force pilot he said – remember, “When in doubt, lash out” Everything forward for speed, Throttle, Choke, Pitch, Flaps, Trim.
I have been teaching Instruments since 1980. My CFI taught me the mindset that “every approach results in a missed approach”, landing out of an approach is gravy. I still teach that. Every once in a while I get the student who kind of complains about the number of missed that I insist on. I remind them that the check ride will certainly require a missed and they won’t know which one it is. Sort of like the real world. That usually does the trick for them.
I Had a go-around two weeks ago due to a wind shear at Kulmbach EDQK The approach was text book perfect. 200 feet AGL I almost got slammed on to the runway. Mains touched as I started my climb out. Could have been worse, hot weather watch for thermals and wind shear