Go around at CPT, unexpected bonus

[Capetonian]

I was on BA 059/30JUL and due to heavy mist over the airfield we enjoyed the unexpected bonus of a missed approach in the morning and a go-around, giving us a second spectacular view of False Bay and the mountains on a beautiful sunny winter morning with the mist starting to burn off the ground. I've flown into CPT hundreds of times and it still thrills me to see those mountains coming into view and the sight of Table Mountain off the wingtip.

As one would expect from BA, well managed and a good announcement from the cockpit, albeit somewhat later than it might have been. As we climbed out I heard the people behind saying they hoped we weren't going back to London!

In all my flying only the second or third missed approach I've had, the only other one I remember was on a LH 747 into JNB. The captain decided not to flatten a Zambian Airways 'plane which had not cleared the runway in time.

[11Fan]

The captain decided not to flatten a Zambian Airways 'plane which had not cleared the runway in time.

How considerate. :}

[JEM60]

Ah, Capetonian. That is one of the best views in the world that you can get from an aircraft. I have been fortunate to have seen it twice. Stunning.First time, only 87 of us on a SAA747. Guy asks me if I have been there before. No, I replied. ' You are sitting on the wrong side of the aircraft, come over here.' What a view.

[paully]

I agree, a fantastic sight both on approach over Robben Island and on take off over False Bay and round the mountains :D...Must do it again sometime ;)

[Akrapovic]

albeit somewhat later than it might have been

Just out of interest, when were you expecting an announcement?

[The late XV105]

Total agreement. Jump seat approach and landing on a BA 744 in the "good old days" of 1997. Will never be forgotten. Stunning!

[gchangflyer]

it's a fantastic view! as a professional pilot, it must be said that go-arounds are extremely rare occurrences indeed,especially at controlled airports with CAT III ILSes. Must have been a nice extra bonus!

[edi_local]

Had the pleasure of flying into CPT on a 1time MD earlier on this year on my way from ELS. Seat 1E, so no wings or other PAX to get in my way. My first time in Cape Town, easily the best landing of my life, the view left me speechless.

On leaving CPT, was disappointed to see overcast cloud, but once we broke through that barrier, the view of Table Mountain rising out of the mist and Lions Head just poking it's way through...what a great goodbye the city gave me!

[Capetonian]

Just out of interest, when were you expecting an announcement?

The announcement came a good 5 minutes after the missed approach, by which time we'd levelled out and were banking back for the second approach. Given the potential for concern amongst the passengers I would have thought that even a brief announcement by a cabin crew member explaining that the captain had decided to have another approach would have put peoples' minds at rest. I realise that under the circumstances the flight deck crew have more critical things to deal with than making passenger announcements.

[dixi188]

Aviate, Navigate, Communicate.

I think 5 mins is about right for telling the passengers what is happening.

A missed approach is a busy time in the flight deck and once things are sorted out and you have levelled off going downwind there is time to make an announcement.

I know some passengers get stressed at these events but usually there is someone else to tell them things are OK and calm down.

Just my thoughts.

[White Knight]

as a professional pilot, it must be said that go-arounds are extremely rare occurrences indeed,especially at controlled airports with CAT III ILSes.

Actually young fellah - you're less likely to get a go-around on a Cat III approach on a LVP day than on a Cat I approach on a CAVOK day:{:{:{

And as for Capetonian I would have thought that even a brief announcement by a cabin crew member explaining that the captain had decided to have another approach would have put peoples' minds at rest.

It's got :mad: all to do with the trolley dolly!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! They generally have no idea about "missed approach", "go around", "min fuel" etc you muppet:ugh::{:ouch::ugh::{:ouch:

[RoyHudd]

White Knight is quite right. Only qualified pilots understand the variables which are associated with go-arounds. A PA to the pax is last on anyone's list of priorities. In the interests of safety, as ever.

And as for a go-around being considered a bonus, that is one of the most stupid comments I have read on these forums. Safety comes first, and doubtless the missed approach was performed for safety reasons. However, it would have used 2-3 tons of fuel, thus increasing the need to land expeditiously.

[Capetonian]

As the original poster may I say :

White Knight's comments are arrogant, derogatory, abusive and unhelpful in the extreme, regardless of whether or not they are correct. We're not all professional pilots and I'm certainly not pretending to be, and that's precisely why I posted under Spectators' Balcony. So maybe you could keep your foul mouthed vitriol to yourself or to those who deserve it and not denigrate the people who make his job possible, the SLF and the 'trolley dollys'.

Roy Hudd I am not 'stupid' and I didn't actually think the go-around was performed to let people have a second shot at taking photos of Table Mountain, or simply to waste fuel while they finished their coffee. I'm quite aware of the realities.
I see no reason why, as someone else has said, the CSD should not make a quick announcement to reassure passengers.

[RoyHudd]

The cabin crew have no idea what exactly has happened and why until they are informed. They cannot inform the uninformed masses until they are in receipt of hard information. To simply announce that the aircraft has not landed and a go-around is being executed is neither of value nor importance.

The point I make about you not being pro aircrew is that unless you have performed a variety of go-arounds (often with very different scenarios), you cannot appreciate the workload involved. These are regularly examined in simulator checks, and often there is much to be learnt, even for an experienced flight crew. In other words, they ain't easy!

Most important is to get the passengers safely on the ground, along with one's colleagues and oneself. Yadda yadda yadda to the pax is not urgent. 5 mins is usually a reasonable time frame, but if tech issues compound the go-around (slats/flaps jammed, fuel level low, on-limits crosswind, dodgy or failed powerplant, vis at minima, blocked r/w, fod on r/w, etc, etc,) then believe me you barely have time to advise ATC what you intend and need to do, let alone comfort the passengers and cabin crew.

[Right Way Up]

RoyHudd and White Knight,

Whilst you are right that crew will not know what is going on, from a passengers point of view hearing the crew calmly (hopefully) explaining that they are going around and the Captain will make a PA shortly, seems to fill that nervous gap. I agree about 5 minutes is about right for the Captain to get round to a PA having got all the priorities sorted.

White Knight - classy post, must have been a good night out. :ouch:

[SLFguy]

Just read some of White Knights other posts - dayuum, the guy has issues!!

[Capetonian]

Just read some of White Knights other posts - dayuum, the guy has issues!!
It seems that way, I made a choice some while ago never to fly on Emirates again, nor to go to DXB, I'll be sticking to that decision from now on!

[Airclues]

White Knight

you're less likely to get a go-around on a Cat III approach on a LVP day than on a Cat I approach on a CAVOK day

Isn't that what gchangflyer said?

rare occurrences indeed,especially at controlled airports with CAT III ILSes.

[Mike Tee]

I have had the "pleasure" of two go arounds. Both times with Ryanair going into Nimes-Arles-Camargue. Captain was on the P.A. without delay to inform us a military aircraft had not cleared the runway (same reason both times) and that we where "going around" and would join the visual circuit. As we left the aircraft and walked into the terminal the offending French Navy ? Prop Job was still doing his touch and goes. As to the best view from an aircraft that has to be the sight of a V.C.10 Tanker with two Tornados on the hoses passing under our F27 somewhere between Teesside and Amsterdam in the early nineties.

[Gold Miner]

I was a passenger on an Easyjet flight into Sofia this morning, the aircraft appeared to do an S-turn on short final followed by a go around. The cabin crew made an announcement almost immediatley which was followed up by the Captain a few minutes later saying that it was for operational reasons. I assume this meant traffic on the runway, which is something I have experienced twice before, but I am confused as to why the aircraft made the S-turn rather than just going around straight away?

[Mike Tee]

Doing an "S-turn" would give more time for the runway to become clear. I don't know if Easy Jets's S.O.P. would allow such a manoeuvre. I believe that with Ryanair the aircraft has to be in landing configuration, in the groove with gear down at the Outer Marker. If "clear to land" is not forthcoming it's a "Go Around".

[Groundloop]

in the groove with gear down at the Outer Marker.

Which airports still have Outer Markers (or any Marker beacons) these days? The usual requirement these days is to be configured and stabilised at a specified height on the approach.

[Mike Tee]

Oop's made a typo. Should read gear down and in the groove at the specified height on the approach. (That piece I read somewhere on Ryanair's procedure must be wrong). As to which airports "still" have Marker Beacons. Dunno.

[Nicholas49]

I don't know if Easy Jets's S.O.P. would allow such a manoeuvre.

Well for the sake of the operating crew, hopefully they do!

Is this S-shape manoeuvre a standard way to extend an approach? I imagine it is only possible to do it 'further back' in the approach (not with landing flaps and gear down) and presumably only on certain approaches (Innsbruck? ;)) ?

[Gold Miner]

To add some more detail, we approached Sofia from the west and flew over the airport, which lies on the eastern edge of the city, at a height of around 4,000ft above ground level (this is my estimate based on my experience of flying light aircraft, but I could be wrong). The landing gear went down and the flaps were partially extended. The aircraft continued in an easterly direction away from the airport and began to descend further. It then turned left back towards the airfield and during the turn the flaps were fully extended. The turn finished and we appeared for a short time to be on a stable approach when the S-turn occured. From my seat towards the back of the aircraft, I had a clear view down the runway and I would estimate that we were within 3 miles and at no more than 1,000ft to 2,000ft above ground level. I did not see any traffic on the runway but a go around was executed.

In a light aircraft, I would not have a problem with performing an S-turn at this stage of an approach but this is the first time I have ever experienced such an event in thousands of hours of flying as a passenger on airliners. I am not complaining, it was much better and much more exciting than the usual approach to most airports.

[Nicholas49]

Gold Miner: that does sound unusual! I'm very intrigued.

Hopefully a professional pilot (maybe even from easyJet) will be able to shed some light.

Thing is, there's been a lot of thread drift since the original post and discussion, which ruffled a lot of feathers.