What happens when the PIC flying for a major misses a visual approach?

[lowtimedriver]

I was at KSNA late this afternoon and a pilot flying for one of the majors came in too high and had to go around on a visual approach. I was wondering if management gets PO'd when this happens and if there are any repercussions associated with going around on a visual approach when the viz is 20+ with CLR conditions?

 

[A350]

Nothing will happen....most airlines require a go around if the aircraft is not in an acceptable position to land at between 500 and 1000 feet AGL....stabilized approaches are what they are called.

It doesn't matter whether the sky is CAVU or 100 overcast, the same applies. No repercussions unless you push a bad approach and something happens.

Go arounds are normal procedures in my AFM.

A350

 

[wmuflyguy]

I was at KSNA late this afternoon and a pilot flying for one of the majors came in too high and had to go around on a visual approach. I was wondering if management gets PO'd when this happens and if there are any repercussions associated with going around on a visual approach when the viz is 20+ with CLR conditions?

No. Their is possibly hell to pay if you land unstabilized(how you described). Not to mention you could get your license yanked. In the Part 121 world, stabalized approaches are kinda a hot item with the FAA.

 

[Mr Hat]

Expressjet has a no fault policy on go arounds. Depending on the reason for the miss, you may want to fill out an ASAP form (a program that helps the company, union and FAA moniter safety issues and keeps you out of trouble) but the company will never get on you for going around for safety issues no matter who calls the go around (Pilots or controllers).

I would assume that most if not all companies do it this way. It would be very dangerous if pilots hesitated on go arounds because they were afraid of reprocussions.

 

[JECKEL]

Yea, I think you are right ... management would get really PO'd. I think they would rather have the Captain through caution and judgement to wind and push a bad situation. Really nose it over, disregard Stabilized Approach Policy and endanger 100+ passengers to make that visual approach work. For me that works better. Safety, that's for the other guy.

Should his approach have been better? Yea, probably should have. But are Airline Pilots SUPERMEN? Though some think they may be, they are not. Once in a while, even the best have a bad approach ... especially a visual one. Push a bad approach? No, he did the right (smart) thing! May have cost a little extra on the fuel, but it's better than having to call the insurance agent.

 

[imadumbpilot]

SoCal approach tends to leave you high coming into SNA (terrain off to the east) and then ask if you have the field in sight for a visual. It is very easy to wind up high and fast if you don't plan your approach into SNA.

 

[JAM-BRO]

I was at KSNA late this afternoon and a pilot flying for one of the majors came in too high and had to go around on a visual approach. I was wondering if management gets PO'd when this happens and if there are any repercussions associated with going around on a visual approach when the viz is 20+ with CLR conditions?

Nothing happens dude!! We all hope you learned something from it. That "majors airline captain" exercised proper judgement and started the approach all over again. MANAGEMENT was not flying this captains jet. We hope that when it's your turn, they(MNGT) won't be flying yours either.

 

[FDJ2]

I was at KSNA late this afternoon and a pilot flying for one of the majors came in too high and had to go around on a visual approach. I was wondering if management gets PO'd when this happens and if there are any repercussions associated with going around on a visual approach when the viz is 20+ with CLR conditions?

No, the repercussions happen when you don't go missed on an unstable approach. It is far better to eat your pride and go around, then to try and save a bad approach.

 

[Longhorn]

On final at CLT last week. In the soup at 700 feet and the controllers were in the process of switching the runways. Controller accidentally flipped the loc from 36R to 18L. Lost loc and went around. First go-around in 12 months.

 

[onionluvr]

Yea, I think you are right ... management would get really PO'd. I think they would rather have the Captain through caution and judgement to wind and push a bad situation. Really nose it over, disregard Stabilized Approach Policy and endanger 100+ passengers to make that visual approach work. For me that works better. Safety, that's for the other guy.

Should his approach have been better? Yea, probably should have. But are Airline Pilots SUPERMEN? Though some think they may be, they are not. Once in a while, even the best have a bad approach ... especially a visual one. Push a bad approach? No, he did the right (smart) thing! May have cost a little extra on the fuel, but it's better than having to call the insurance agent.

What's with the sarcasm? If his profile is up to date he's a student pilot. Lighten up.

 

[JECKEL]

Didn't even look at his personals, dude. It was on a MAJORS forum and replied like I felt. Sorry if I offended you or anyone else.

 

[lowtimedriver]

What's with the sarcasm? If his profile is up to date he's a student pilot. Lighten up.

Thanks for watching my back. I work for an evil corporation in the evil corporate empire. I have read too many posts about pixx poor airline management and the hurdles you guys have to jump over. When the guy went around, it made my "corporate" wheels start turning. Gee, I wonder how pounds of fuel that burned up? Then I started thinking about if you guys would get hammered for doing the right thing? I am glad to hear that that you guys don't have to go to a fuel conservation sensitivity seminar for higher corporate profits.

 

[Thedude]

About the worst that will happen is the f/a will make fun of the f/o and who ever did the go-around will have to buy the first round of beers for the rest of the trip.

 

[skiandsurf]

Then I started thinking about if you guys would get hammered for doing the right thing?

17 years as an airline pilot, handful of go-arounds, never heard a word from the company. Never even thought about explaining myself.

Usually, we are trying to get the plane on the runway, and when it doesnt look good, I think about having to explain to the FAA or the company what went wrong, so a go-around is a no brainer.

 

[FLYLOW22]

"Always make every approach to landing with the intent of a go around."

-- wise words from my initial instructor. Very true.

"NO FAULT GO AROUND" is the order of the day from my company.

 

[mamba20]

I'm sure they get royaly pissed! Now that your at a major your no longer human, your a pilot for a MAJOR. Give me a break. I will walk off the airplane without even thinking about it I ever show up to fly with a guy who thinks he can't/won't make mistakes or is too good to go around on a botched visual.

Freaking get over yourself. You were a human long before you were a pilot. Humans are the most mistake prone creation in the history of creations. Just look at our current president.

 

[Huck]

I did a go-around on my first landing in IOE once.....

 

[skiandsurf]

I did a go-around on my first landing in IOE once.....

It may be different at FedEx. Those guys are known to push bad approaches and crashing the MD11.

Sorry, I couldnt resist.

 

[L'il J.Seinfeld]

A little off the point, but I called a go around once in the USAF when the copilot had his hands full on a gusty day and was unstable at 500'. The tower controller, on an AF base, was peeved because he had cleared us to land and not cleared us the "option." He evidently thought we were doing it for kicks. On climbout he called and declared "state reason for missed apporach." I ignored him in order to monitor the goaround and make sure we did everything right. The tower dude called a second time and sounded more perturbed, "state reason for go around!" I paused a few seconds before answering with "fear of death."

 

[onionluvr]

I'm sure they get royaly pissed! Now that your at a major your no longer human, your a pilot for a MAJOR. Give me a break. I will walk off the airplane without even thinking about it I ever show up to fly with a guy who thinks he can't/won't make mistakes or is too good to go around on a botched visual.

Freaking get over yourself. You were a human long before you were a pilot. Humans are the most mistake prone creation in the history of creations. Just look at our current president.

You should try reading the thread and looking at the context before you post.......aaaah forget it. I give up.

 

[regionaltard]

What happens when the PIC flying for a major misses a visual approach?

The airplane doesn't go off the end of the runway.

 

[SkiFishFly]

SoCal approach tends to leave you high coming into SNA (terrain off to the east) and then ask if you have the field in sight for a visual. It is very easy to wind up high and fast if you don't plan your approach into SNA.

I have seen one go-around. It was a visual approach (not at SNA) and approach control descended us way late because of traffic. You make your best attempt to get the dang thing down but at some point you have to decide - this is not a stabilized approach and I can not safely land in the touchdown zone - time to go around.

 

[Filkster]

I was at KSNA late this afternoon and a pilot flying for one of the majors came in too high and had to go around on a visual approach. I was wondering if management gets PO'd when this happens and if there are any repercussions associated with going around on a visual approach when the viz is 20+ with CLR conditions?

Look at it this way. Failing to go around from an unstabilized approach may get you a trip to the local gas station or worse kill someone driving by the airport minding thier own business. Get the point????

RF

 

[waterski]

He gets an extra 150.00 on his next paycheck.

 

[NTS ALL 4]

more money

He gets an extra 150.00 on his next paycheck.

My thoughts exactly. A wise old Check Airman once told me, "Just remember, go-arounds pay more than landing from a unstablized approach." I like mo' money. It look mo' better than a bad approach.

 

[ferlo]

SNA is not the place to push your luck. The LAST people I'm concerned with if I have to go around are my "leaders".

 

[Flyer1015]

In the words of an infamous Mesa lady captain at ROA, "Go Around is not an option!"

 

[Apache06]

Go Around

I was at KSNA late this afternoon and a pilot flying for one of the majors came in too high and had to go around on a visual approach. I was wondering if management gets PO'd when this happens and if there are any repercussions associated with going around on a visual approach when the viz is 20+ with CLR conditions?

You do a go around. The repercussions become an issue when you don't do a go around and overun the runway. At my carrier a lot of emphasis is placed on doing a go around if you are not on profile. We have a mandatory call out at 1000' "Stable" If you don't meet the criteria for "Stable" you do a go around. We have a second callout at 500' "Stable, Target (target refers to target approach speed) and sink (for the sink rate). Again if you don't meet the criteria for "Stable" you must do a go around.

 

[skiandsurf]

I have never seen a go-around reported on CNN.

 

[JediNein]

The tower dude called a second time and sounded more perturbed, "state reason for go around!" I paused a few seconds before answering with "fear of death."

Thanks. I'm going to have to use that the next time local gets p*ssed because I didn't let the student kill me this time.