EK 380 go-around at LHR today
Joined: Feb 2001
Posts: 6,726
Likes: 103
From: The Winchester
Well there must have been a reason, and I suspect the simple answer is somebody judged it wasn't safe to land.
.....I know that's not particularly helpful, but do we need to dissect and understand the reason for every go around performed by a commercial aircraft?
.....I know that's not particularly helpful, but do we need to dissect and understand the reason for every go around performed by a commercial aircraft?
Joined: Oct 2005
Posts: 1,103
Likes: 0
From: 45 yards from a tropical beach
xtypeman
Your personal profile tells us nothing, ergo, I shall infer that you are not a pilot.
A go-around is a perfectly normal manoeuvre, which professional pilots are trained to perform, with the minimum of fuss. It might seem somewhat dramatic to the travelling public, but that is because it is carried out using full power, below max landing weight, so the performance (angle and rate of climb) is impressive. The thrust-to weight ratio on a go-around is considerably higher than that for a normal take off.
I stress, it is no big deal for a professional crew, however, it is a busy time in the cockpit, so it might be a few minutes before the Captain can give that reassuring PA to the passengers.
Windshear has caused me to go-around from the flare. Those two big, beautiful Rolls-Royce Trents on my A330 just punched in, and our wheels did not even kiss the runway. It was effortless and we were throttling back at 2,000 feet in no time at all.
I hope that this reassures you - drama it is not.
Your personal profile tells us nothing, ergo, I shall infer that you are not a pilot.
A go-around is a perfectly normal manoeuvre, which professional pilots are trained to perform, with the minimum of fuss. It might seem somewhat dramatic to the travelling public, but that is because it is carried out using full power, below max landing weight, so the performance (angle and rate of climb) is impressive. The thrust-to weight ratio on a go-around is considerably higher than that for a normal take off.
I stress, it is no big deal for a professional crew, however, it is a busy time in the cockpit, so it might be a few minutes before the Captain can give that reassuring PA to the passengers.
Windshear has caused me to go-around from the flare. Those two big, beautiful Rolls-Royce Trents on my A330 just punched in, and our wheels did not even kiss the runway. It was effortless and we were throttling back at 2,000 feet in no time at all.
I hope that this reassures you - drama it is not.
Joined: Oct 2005
Posts: 1,103
Likes: 0
From: 45 yards from a tropical beach
Yellow Sun,
Brian - you must have sent your reply whilst I was typing mine. Cool response.
We must have performed a few go-rounds (for practice) when flying together, but there were rarely any any spotters around at Sun Station Sierra Mike, and no Internet Tweeters with video cameras in those days. Besides which, our steed of yore would have obliterated all with its black smoke, as four Rolls-Royce Speys blasted their way to max chat!
By the way, have you noticed the interloper of new, calling hisself 'Yellow Son?'
Brian - you must have sent your reply whilst I was typing mine. Cool response.
We must have performed a few go-rounds (for practice) when flying together, but there were rarely any any spotters around at Sun Station Sierra Mike, and no Internet Tweeters with video cameras in those days. Besides which, our steed of yore would have obliterated all with its black smoke, as four Rolls-Royce Speys blasted their way to max chat!
By the way, have you noticed the interloper of new, calling hisself 'Yellow Son?'
Joined: Jul 2004
Posts: 1,901
Likes: 1
From: On the wireless...
Every approach might result in a missed approach.
Every approach might not result in a landing.
A missed approach is absolutely no different to a train waiting outside Waterloo station for a few minutes awaiting a platform. Do we worry about that too?
xtypeman - at the age of 54 you should have realised by now that a missed approach is a perfectly normal aviation procedure. Posting stuff like that on here will get dumb tabloid journos excited. Perhaps you are one already. Indeed, when HD and I were at LHR our boss (KCW) informed the press (who persisted in asking the same ****** question) that 'if my staff didn't have a couple of go-arounds a day they weren't working hard enough'.
Would you have asked the same question if it had been a Boeing 737...?
Every approach might not result in a landing.
A missed approach is absolutely no different to a train waiting outside Waterloo station for a few minutes awaiting a platform. Do we worry about that too?
xtypeman - at the age of 54 you should have realised by now that a missed approach is a perfectly normal aviation procedure. Posting stuff like that on here will get dumb tabloid journos excited. Perhaps you are one already. Indeed, when HD and I were at LHR our boss (KCW) informed the press (who persisted in asking the same ****** question) that 'if my staff didn't have a couple of go-arounds a day they weren't working hard enough'.
Would you have asked the same question if it had been a Boeing 737...?
Scourge of Bad Airline Management!
Joined: Jul 2000
Posts: 1,244
Likes: 229
From: Global Nomad
As a passenger on said EK001 today, and someone who has been a passenger on quite a few go-arounds in my time, I would like to raise a few comments without the risk of being shot down like xtypeman....
Firstly, you are all correct - the crew took it back up, headed back towards east London, and the couple sat in the centre section near me were pretty much blissfully unaware what had happened, until they saw clouds out of the windows where once west London was... it was that routine.
But I would be prepared to swear that we actually touched down before the go-around. Are ones that late usual? It was a hell of a bumpy approach, the ailerons and spoilers were twitching well - and the second landing was heavy enough to break a lot of glass in the bar. Nasty day today, clearly!
TA
Firstly, you are all correct - the crew took it back up, headed back towards east London, and the couple sat in the centre section near me were pretty much blissfully unaware what had happened, until they saw clouds out of the windows where once west London was... it was that routine.
But I would be prepared to swear that we actually touched down before the go-around. Are ones that late usual? It was a hell of a bumpy approach, the ailerons and spoilers were twitching well - and the second landing was heavy enough to break a lot of glass in the bar. Nasty day today, clearly!
TA
Joined: Sep 2009
Posts: 613
Likes: 1
From: London
But I would be prepared to swear that we actually touched down before the go-around. Are ones that late usual? It was a hell of a bumpy approach, the ailerons and spoilers were twitching well - and the second landing was heavy enough to break a lot of glass in the bar.
Joined: Oct 2010
Posts: 1,037
Likes: 32
From: In the back of a bus
Which bar? If you mean the lounge, there's no glass left in there for landing, everything's packed up. Unless a cart came open & racks of glassware fell out (very rare) you probably just heard the full-size liquor bottles clinking around, as they regularly do 
Weather in LHR has been very yucky the last few days- I thought it was meant to be autumn not the freezing depths of winter- couldn't feel my hands after 5mins outside earlier this week...
Weather in LHR has been very yucky the last few days- I thought it was meant to be autumn not the freezing depths of winter- couldn't feel my hands after 5mins outside earlier this week...
Joined: Jul 2002
Aviation Qualifications: ATCO
Posts: 204
Likes: 4
From: Richmond N Yorks
A very senior, well respected and erudite fleet captain of a major airline based at LHR, said at a conference on capacity, that if there weren't the occasional go arounds, ATC weren't trying hard enough. He was correct.
Scourge of Bad Airline Management!
Joined: Jul 2000
Posts: 1,244
Likes: 229
From: Global Nomad
I was about two rows up from the bar - and I can assure you glass got broken. The crew passed a comment about 'better tell the cleaners, there's broken glass in there'.
Also a very strong smell of booze - and vomit. Which is a shame, since the aircraft wasn't far off new, and smelt nice until that point!
TA
Also a very strong smell of booze - and vomit. Which is a shame, since the aircraft wasn't far off new, and smelt nice until that point!
TA
Joined: Feb 2008
Posts: 109
Likes: 0
From: Tunbridge Wells, UK
I was over at T4 and there was a 90° cross wind, gusting 29Kts. I saw around four other Go-arounds in about an hour.