TG 916 Yesterday
 

Last night I was on the above, we were nicely established on finals, and we did a go-around. The Captain gave a brief explanation that I didn't understand.

Can anyone tell me the reason ?

Just out of interest, nothing else. I know this is nothing whatsoever unusual, like I say, just out of interest.

Ta

I assume you were pax, not the FO then.....??

What did the flight deck say then? maybe someone can decipher it.

If you didn't hang around long after the go-around there was likely nothing wrong with the aeroplane..... probably the one ahead slow to clear the runway, which is often the reason.

The briefer the explanation, the more likely the problem was up front ;) Easiest to blame ATC whatever, but occasionally we get found out using that line :oh:

NoD

Told to maintain 160 to 4 but kept speed at close to 200, rapidly catching preceding traffic . Told to go around , continued decent until asked if going around as instructed, where upon go around initiated.

"Ladies and gentlemen, this is the Captain. We're going around because I've made a right cock-up....."

On the other hand I would be far more worried if a crew continued an approach which wasn't correctly stable by the required "gate".

The person who has never made a mistake never makes anything and there can be many factors which can conspire to occasionally cause a Go Around.

In the company I work for there is a "no blame" policy for Go Arounds which is the way it should be.

Thanks autothrottle. Very informative. Interesting that the ground speed indicated on the cabin display was bang on 160. Firefly, agree 100% with the no-blame culture.

Ta

You say cabin info said 160kts but autothrottle said he was doing 200.....

GROUNDSPEED of 160kts. The London airports yesterday afternoon were enjoying 3000ft winds of about 40-50 knots down the runway. Therefore the aircraft in front of you would most likely of been flying a groundspeed of 120kts!

correct Rice

Groundspeed ?

Are Approach speeds such as 160 to 4 not based on IAS anymore ?

Yes they are, 160kts IAS to 4 dme (see other recent thread). However the original poster said the info screen on the plane showed the aircraft flying a ground speed of 160 kts. Autothrottle mentioned the reason for the go-around was because the aircraft was still flying around 200kts IAS (with 40 knot headwind = 160 kts ground speed) with the preceding aircraft probably adhering to the 160kts IAS instruction (approx 120kts ground speed).

autothrottle, a question if I may? In this situation is the standard go around instruction still issued? (Go around, I say again go around, acknowledge) or is more of a "this isn't going to work, would you mind going around?"

<<would you mind going around>>

Hahahahaha!! ATC give instructions..

You sound like one of my early OJTIs: "This is air traffic control boy, not air traffic ask very politely!"

If you do choose this approach I believe the correct phraseology is, in fact, "this isn't going to work, I say, would you mind awfully, going around?"

Or as an ex-Heathrow colleague said: "I'm terribly sorry but GO-AROUND".

Which got the reply "thank you, I could see we were catching him" (number 1 had slowed to walking pace)

...or, if cambioso had been on AIR ARR, ...."I say, would you mind awfully, going around, Old Boy?"