Until now, I've (obviously) refrained from comment, however without full knowledge of this particular "press release", I'd like to make the following observations.
(I) It's a brave man who lands (esp at a "Primary Airport"...is that terminology still in use?), without having received a landing clearance.
(ii) A go-around is an option ALWAYS available to ALL pilots - unfortunately not enough of us exercise it often enough!!
(iii) A go-around is NOT an "emergency" or "abnormal" procedure. The reality is, ATC are generally quite "conservative" with separation standards, so as not to frighten the "beegeezus" out of the pilots!!
The people who cite the "Cleared to land, as No3 (or whatever)" are generally talking about dual runway ops (1 R/W for landing, and another for take-off), eg, "Cleared to land as No 3."
However, the "Go-around" option is ALWAYS there - at ANY phase during the approach.
(iv) Boeing tell us that a go-around is available
even after touch down, as long as the thrust reversers have not been selected. So even IF (according to 10 gallon Bob) the "rubber" had made contact, a go-around was still an option.
And last but not least...........did anyone suffer any injury from this?
Of course the answer is "No" (except Bob Katter apparently..who sh!t his undies, and made an apparent national fool of himself). "
I'll be demanding an investigation into why pilots are allowed to make go-arounds!!"
