On Mon, 04 Aug 2008 19:01:06 +1000, Snapper
y7mail.com.invalid> wrote:

Hi Snapper,

I'm not sure as to the reason for your questions so I'll reply in a
general manner.

As an ATC (now retired) of almost 35 years who mostly worked in the
TWR environment, I have seen numerous go arounds. As far as I can
remember none of these could, or should, be classified as an
emergency, maybe, in some cases, a very low grade incident, but not an
emergency.

How often do they happen? In my experience working in ATC at primary
aerodromes, maybe one go around every month or so. A very foggy
morning may generate a couple in a day but these would have been
planned for by the flight crew.

If there is a lot of IFR GA training taking place, as happens in
places like Adelaide, there may be 10-20 go arounds (over shoots) a
day. (Although this does not stop an inexperienced "plane spotter"
from contacting the media every now and then when he sees a training
aircraft conduct a missed approach.)

Go arounds are initiated by the PIC or ATC for a number of reasons,
but mostly by the PIC and mostly because of weather conditions. Some
go arounds are allowed for in the approach planning and procedures
some are not. Conducting an ILS in poor weather conditions would
always involve planning for a go around if the runway/runway approach
lighting was not visible at the minima. Excessive turbulence,
unexpected increase in the cross wind component, excessive wind shear,
losing sight of the runway are all reasons why an unexpected go around
may be conducted.

Sometimes the PIC just stuffs up the approach. Sometimes ATC stuff up
by not having enough room between two landing aircraft, or a landing
and departing aircraft, or having a vehicle/aircraft on or crossing
the active runway at a critical time.

In fact, when issuing a landing clearance to an aircraft at any time,
ATC must have the overshoot track clear in case of a go around.

There are many reasons why a go around may be conducted, pilots are
well trained to conduct this manoeuver and this procedure is part of
"normal" flying operations. From a passengers point of view, an
unexpected go around may be disconcerting, from the aircraft crew's
point of view, it is extra workload but, in my experience, rarely if
ever and emergency.

To me, a former CIR/CPL, this procedure, in most cases, carries about
the same degree of emergency as getting a red traffic light when
approaching an intersection in my car, an inconvenience, but not an
emergency.

Regards
Stephen