Interesting Go Around On the 22s Last Monday

Went to one spot, all by my lonesome and over on the 22s I noticed this:

just over the 22s midway across the runway
http://www.nycaviation.com/hosting/2.jpg

then out over Jamaica bay
http://www.nycaviation.com/hosting/3.jpg


and still heading out...
http://www.nycaviation.com/hosting/1.jpg


I just kept watching, wondering why, if it was a go around, she didnt just climb.


I later learned she was flying by the runway so that ground and tower could inspect the landing gear.

just an interesting spotting sidenote :)

As I've understood, there is a go-around procedure that plane must follow when calling missed. I think they are supposed to maintain the runway heading for a little bit and wait before climbing. I thought turning off right away was the wrong thing to do actually, unless the tower immediately instructs you to.

I am reminded that many years ago, I was up in the tower one floor below the controllers (2nd from top) when an Eastern Airlines jet could not lower the landing gear on one side.

What was done that day was they had the jet - I remember as as a 707 - fly between 31L/31R approach...and it screamed about 1000 feet or so directly over the tower...and the heart of JFK. Quite dramatic... I thought the window were going to shatter.

Ultimately the gear could not be lowered on the one side, and when it returned it tore down 31L with a huge amount of sparks and perhaps some flames (this was as I remember it..). 31L was out of service all day after that, and the jet was stuck there for quite some time.

Read an article about it years later in either Airliners or Airways, and they had the aircraft as a DC-8 - so I imagine they are corrrect in that.

Tom

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Phil D.

As I've understood, there is a go-around procedure that plane must follow when calling missed. I think they are supposed to maintain the runway heading for a little bit and wait before climbing. I thought turning off right away was the wrong thing to do actually, unless the tower immediately instructs you to.

---

I think either each airport, or the FAA, publishes specific go-around procedures for runways at major airports. These are usually published on approach plates, such as the Jeppesen ones that most people use, so that if the flight crew has to execute a go-around, the procedures are right there in front of them.

From what I've seen, many airports' go-around procedures are to maintain runway heading and climb to a certain altitude, but at many others you either turn to a specific heading or direct to a point. For example, here are the procedures for DEN's RWY 16L (keep in mind DEN is at 5,431 feet): Climb to 5900, then climbing right turn to 12000 via 220 heading and BJC VOR/R-147 to SIGNE Int/BJC 26.7 DME and hold. So depending on your altitude when the go-around is initiated you'd probably be somewhere near the end of the runway when making the right turn out...

I understand there are 'go around' procedures but I was under the impression they usually called for climbing in addidion to the 'fly runway heading'. Don't these procedures usually call for an immediate climb to a certain altitude?

WHen I saw this DL 767 maintain altitude until he was way out over Jamaica Bay, I though it was perhaps a bit more than a normal go around but wasnt sure, since he did not climb at all.


Not sure what LGA's 4 procedure is, perhaps someone can comment, but when we flew AA a few years ago, we did a go around and seemed to climb up from runway 4, and continued until we reached the GWB, and then we turned south and flew over the Hudson , down to the Statue of Liberty and came back onto the 4 approach again. Pretty fun.

With your go-around at LGA, you were at a much lower altitude when the go-around was initiated, and by the time you probably got to the designated missed approach altitude, you were probably at the end of the runway already and just continued from there in your turn or what have you.

I'm no expert here, but I know I've seen planes go-around at about 1,200 feet or so and maintain it for most of the runway and then turn to join the back of the line.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by mirrodie

I understand there are 'go around' procedures but I was under the impression they usually called for climbing in addidion to the 'fly runway heading'. Don't these procedures usually call for an immediate climb to a certain altitude?

---

Yea I think go-around "procedures" at most airports call for an immediate climb to a certain altitude unless otherwise dictated by ATC. At least all the go-around procedures I've seen while looking at approach plates for major/mid-size airports, generally call for this.

As for the fly runway heading, I think it all depends on what airport you are at. For example, at a huge airport like DEN with runways out in the middle of nowhere, it's probably not as important to maintain runway heading, especially if the procedures call for you to fly direct to a point. I think in general though, if you're going around, by the time you get your flaps back into proper configuration and get established on your climb out, you're going to be close to the end of the runway anyway. Also, a lot of times I'd imagine ATC would be directing you a little more closely, especially in crowded airspaces, so their instructions may deviate from the published instructions...
In any case, this is mostly speculation on my part, based on what I've seen/learned. I'm sure a pilot can clarify things more...

On a somewhat related note, the Missed-Approach procedures at LGA are to climb to 2000 direct ORCHY LOM and hold. ORCHY is pretty much straight off of RWY 4 probably like 2-3 miles off the end of it.. But at an airport like LGA, I'm sure ATC is sequencing in planes and all...

There is a technical difference between a "missed approach" and a "go-around". All published instrument approaches include a missed approach procedure. When you arrive at decision height or missed approach point and cannot continue to landing, you execute the missed approach procedure. This is often something like "fly runway heading, climb and maintain 2,500 feet, turn right to XXX intersection" This is for a few reasons. If you are flying a no-sh*t missed approach, you are typically in some piss-poor weather, and the missed approach procedure ensures you have appropriate obstacle clearance. It's also important should you lose radio contact that you have a defined route, and ATC knows where you will be going. As long as you are talking to ATC when you go missed, they should give you instructions to follow once you get the aircraft climbing and configured.

A go-around is more typically when you are preparing to land and find the aircraft ahead of you is still on the runway, or you are coming in high and hot and cannot safely land. You fly what is pretty much the same as the start of the missed approach procedure, following the runway and climbing out, and ATC should give you instructions.

If this DL guy was doing a fly-by of the tower then heading back around for landing, ATC may have kept him down relatively low to help sequence him back around into traffic. I'm sure with all the traffic at JFK he probably couldn't just go around the visual pattern for landing, but they probably didn't need to climb too far to get sequenced back in line.

*points to Moose*

What he said.

Well I just took a look at my JFK 7110.67H (Standard Operating Procedures) and Chapter 3-Section 17: Assigned headings when departing 22R.
2b states:

Quote:

---

"Kennedy Tower shall: Issue missed approach or go-around aircraft a 180 degree heading and clearance to maintain 1000 feet."

---

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Phil D.

*points to Moose*

What he said.

---

Yea, holla...