How can we address go-around safety aspects?

Many go-arounds are conducted because the required visual references have not been established when the aircraft reaches the decision height (DA/H) or minimum descent height (MDA/H). (Source: Skybrary)

Runway excursions are a persistent problem. According to ICAO, numbers of incidents have not changed in the last 20 years. EUROCONTROL and partners will meet on 18 June to address go-around safety aspects and deliver recommendations to help practitioners implement mitigation strategies and reduce risks.

Many go-arounds are conducted because the required visual references have not been established when the aircraft reaches the decision height (DA/H) or minimum descent height (MDA/H). (Source: Skybrary)

The Flight Safety Foundation (FSF) says that runway excursions are the most common type of aviation accident: they have accounted for up to 33% of accidents over the last 16 years. Many of these excursions are the result of unstable approaches.

The runway excursion accident rate can be drastically reduced by better compliance with go-around policies, specifically the decision to go-around when appropriate. No other single decision/manoeuvre has as much potential beneficial impact on the overall industry accident rate. However, go-arounds are not without risk.

In January 2013, EUROCONTROL and many of its partners in the aviation industry involved in the area of runway operations issued a comprehensive action plan for the Prevention of Runway Excursions:

• Press release
• European Action Plan for the Prevention of Runway Excursions (PDF)

To implement the EAPPRE recommendations and so reduce the risk of accidents, the partners are now consolidating knowledge on how to address the go-around safety aspects. This will help practitioners to implement mitigation strategies more easily and reduce risks.

Go-around Safety Forum

In this context, the Flight Safety Foundation, ERA and EUROCONTROL are co-organising the Go-around Safety Forum on 18 June 2013. This one-day event will focus on operational safety; it aims at delivering draft recommendations for safely managing go-arounds.

More info

• Skybrary: go-around – transition to instrument flying
• Go-around Safety Forum.
• Tzvetomir Blajev, Safety expert.