Editorial - BSV no.49
“Go-around”
How hard it is for all of us to accept that events do not always go the way we hoped, and that sometimes we have to rethink the whole plan we had made and tied up...
If this is true in everyday life, it is all the more true in our favourite pastime of microlight flying.
You are on final, the runway is waiting for you, yes you are a bit high, a bit fast, the runway is short but the weather is fine, no wind, you are also a bit late and friends are waiting for you: what should you do?
First of all, thanks to the IPADE model, we asked ourselves about the various threats, we weighed them up and we set ourselves an action plan.
It is relatively simple today: the main threat being the length of the runway, we know we must arrive well stabilised on final and touch the wheels down just after the runway threshold.
In addition, the secondary threat is arriving late, which can make us rush things, but if friends will have to wait a little, we must not give in to time pressure.
The answer to the question above then seems obvious: “Go around” and off we go again for another circuit, this time taking care over our parameters on final to be on the centreline, on the glide path, and at the right speed.
Nothing exceptional, you will tell me, sitting quietly reading the BSV, but would you have had the same reaction in flight?
A go-around is not a failure, quite the opposite, and I recall one of my instructors who used to say: “A landing is a failed go-around”, so it must be considered at every landing, and you should not hesitate to carry it out even if the wheels have just touched.
Be sure to make an acceleration level-off, and moderate the initial pitch-up to get out of the back of the power curve and not stall.
Do not hesitate to practise during your circuits or arrivals, and if you have doubts, ask an instructor or better still, do a R.E.V !!
With the fine days returning, our accident rate is starting to rise again, so on each of your flights, put safety first, and never forget that the go-around is:
Always the best decision!!
Eric Galvagno
Head of the Flight Safety Committee
The Analyst's analysis
In September 2017, the BEA published its report on the accident of the paramotor microlight registered 08-NR, which occurred on 17 April 2016 at Raucourt-et-Flaba (08). The pilot, alone on board, was killed.
Training Corner
When everything falls apart, even the weather
About ten years ago, when I arrived in the south of France, many people told me: you know, it's simple here, the mistral is 3-6-9… describing the number of days it would blow for.
Safety in Figures
The table below summarises the accident statistics recorded from 1 January to 30 May 2018, classifying casualties by severity and distinguishing accidents involving only material damage.
What about doing a REV? > video guide
A question about the REV programme? > see our dedicated FAQ
