Having solid decision making skills is a key factor for remaining safe as a pilot both in the air and on the ground while having the confidence to make a snap decision is just as important as having all of the other skills necessary to fly. Hence, knowing when to abort a landing that is not going well and to instead complete a go-around is a critical skill that is necessary for all pilots to have.
Todd Macrock has posted an excellent entry on My Flight Blog about the critical need to think about making a go-around decision early in a landing approach. The need is further emphasized with a video clip showing a plane skidding off of the runway at St. Barthelemy Airport – a small 2,100 foot airstrip located in the Caribbean. Had the pilot of this plane been able to make a snap decision when he had already flown more than halfway down the runway and had instead executed a go-around, he would have safely landed the plane.
The post is well worth reading and should have all pilots asking when was the last time that they have thought about practicing or executing a go-around approach before landing.
[…] in June, we mentioned an entry by Todd Macrock on My Flight Blog about the critical need to think about making a […]