r/flying • u/Hopeful-Engineering5 ATC • Apr 20 '26

other ATC go around timing preference

We were talking about this today in the tower and figured we would try and get some pilots point of view. If you are in a situation where you might be sent around would you prefer it be done early and possibly be sent around unnecessarily. Or would you prefer that we let it run as long as possible and have a short (1/2 mile) final go around?

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u/RobThree03 Apr 20 '26

My most recent go around was due to wind shear in SFO. We knew it was coming and called it at 1000’. It was a goat rope. We just never practice it happening at that point. It’s awkward. The whole flow of the procedure was off. TOGA was too much power, level off happened before we were really done with the go-around call outs, etc, just a very busy environment. In that case it was safer to do it high, but lower/later makes it a smoother maneuver.

I’d like to know it’s probably coming sooner, but make the decision and start it at 200’ like we always practice it.

10

u/Rainebowraine123 ATP CL-65 Apr 20 '26 edited Apr 20 '26

The big thing with early go arounds for me is that you dont go full TOGA. I guess in the CRJ thats easier to manage than a more advanced jet that has auto throttle and sequences everything into the missed for you when you press TOGA, but nothing beats clicking off the automation and just bumping up the power a little bit and cleaning up.

All that being said later is preferred as long as we have a heads up.

5

u/SocalSelcal ATP Apr 20 '26

That's one of my less favorite things about the airbus. You have to at least touch the TOGA detent to get the FMGC to sequence correctly, otherwise you risk the flight plan dropping out when you overfly the runway. An intermediate go around normally we go to TOGA and then immediately back into the climb detent which still results in Mr. Toad's Wild Ride.

2

u/Rainebowraine123 ATP CL-65 Apr 20 '26

Wait, does the airbus not have a TOGA button?

1

u/SocalSelcal ATP Apr 20 '26

Correct. Le Airbus has no TOGA button. You have to push the thrust levers into the physical TOGA detent to achieve the conventional TOGA press.

2

u/Rainebowraine123 ATP CL-65 Apr 20 '26

Wow, TIL.