goaround

A go-around, in aviation, is a maneuver in which a pilot aborts a landing attempt and climbs away from the runway to either reattempt the approach or proceed to another arrival procedure. It can be initiated by the pilot or directed by air traffic control when the approach path or runway conditions are not safe for a landing, such as an unstable approach, traffic conflict, or weather.

During a go-around, the pilot applies go-around power, establishes a positive rate of climb, and follows the aircraft’s published procedures for configuration changes. This typically involves retracting some or all flaps in stages, retracting landing gear if appropriate, and then continuing the climb on a standard missed-approach procedure or as directed by ATC. The exact configuration depends on the aircraft type and operator procedures.

Go-arounds are considered a normal, safety-critical procedure and are taught as part of instrument flight rules training. They are common enough to be planned for in advance and are not indicative of an emergency when executed correctly. Factors that can trigger a go-around include an unsafe landing clearance, runway contamination, wind shear, reduced visibility, gusts, or a new instruction from ATC that makes a safe landing unlikely.

After initiating a go-around, the flight crew coordinates with ATC to determine the next action, which may be re-entering the approach from a different altitude or position, circling for another attempt, or diverting to an alternate airport if necessary.