Go-Around Decision: The Ultimate Safety Maneuver

By the PilotLeague Team - MSFS 2024 Aviation Safety Guide

An old aviation adage says: "A good approach ends with a landing, a bad approach ends with a go-around." The go-around should never be seen as a failure, but as a courageous command decision.

Whether you're too high, too fast, or misaligned with the runway axis, knowing when to go around is vital. It's the mark of professional pilots.

An unstable approach speed, overshooting the touchdown zone, or poor centerline alignment are all go-around criteria.

Analyze Your Go-Around Decisions with PilotLeague

PilotLeague records and analyzes every aborted approach. Your go-arounds are not failures - they are proof of your professionalism.

PilotLeague provides you with detailed metrics on each go-around:

Automatic Detection: Our algorithm identifies go-arounds and distinguishes them from touch-and-gos.
Approach Analysis: Visualize whether you were stabilized or not at the moment of decision.
Safety Score: Your safety score is positively impacted by good decisions.

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The Go-Around Trajectory

A go-around consists of aborting the approach to regain altitude and re-enter the holding pattern or approach sequence.

Diagram: Approach interruption and climb to published go-around altitude.

When to Go Around? Stabilized Approach Criteria

In commercial aviation, the approach must be "stabilized" by 1000 ft (IMC) or 500 ft (VMC). If any of these criteria are not met, a go-around is mandatory:

Trajectory: The aircraft is not on the glidepath or localizer.
Speed: The approach speed deviation exceeds +10 kts or -5 kts.
Configuration: Landing gear not extended or flaps incorrectly set.
Power: Engines not stabilized at a thrust level allowing immediate response.

The "Long Landing" Danger

Sometimes the approach looks perfect, but the aircraft "floats" above the runway without wanting to touch down. If you pass the touchdown zone (TDZ), don't try to force the aircraft down. Execute an immediate go-around to avoid a runway excursion.

Impact on Your PilotLeague Safety Score

Unlike other tracking tools, PilotLeague values safety. Our algorithm detects go-arounds:

Action	PilotLeague Analysis	Safety Score Impact
Go-around after unstable approach	Safety decision detected.	Professionalism bonus
Forced landing (Hard/Long)	Safety limits exceeded.	Major penalty

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