The importance of repetitive go-around training in IMC or night.
Flight International 30 May-5 June 2017, published an article by David Kaminski-Morrow entitled "EASA seeks to make go-around safer."
Among other comments, the article states high thrust settings generate sudden acceleration and sharp pitch-up moments, and the combination of these - especially in low visibility conditions - can create somatogravic illusions...pilot reactions to this false impression can result in the aircraft being inadvertently pushed nose-down during a go-around." EASA is seeking comment proposals to ensure new aircraft have design features that do not create an unacceptable risk of losing control of the trajectory - and the aircraft as a whole - during a missed approach.
One can read into that last statement the inclusion of still more automation.
While somatogravic illusion has frequently been touted by investigators as a possible contributory cause of take off or go-around accidents there are usually no survivors to confirm this.
EASA in the meantime leans on manufacturers to install additional automation to minimise the chances of pilots of crashing during a go-around. Rather than spend money on more sophisticated computer systems, I would have thought it would be far better to include better go-around training during type rating training in the simulator and in recurrent training.
Go-around accidents have highlighted the lack of instrument flying ability by some pilots used to reliance on automatics. The solution lies in more accent on go-around training during scheduled simulator sessions. The only way instrument flying ability and scan is improved during go-around training is by going back to square one and practicing manual raw data no flight director go-arounds from runway level where fast and efficient instrument scan is vital - particularly during the flap retract and acceleration phase where trim changes are continually happening. Practice makes perfect.
Last edited by Centaurus; 25th Jun 2017 at 14:27.