How to Practise Go Arounds Like an Airbus Crew

A go-around can arrive at the most demanding point of a flight: low, configured, close to the runway and with little time to debate the decision. That is exactly why learning how to practise go arounds should not mean simply pushing the thrust levers forward once and climbing away. The value is in recognising the trigger, making a positive decision and flying the missed approach with the same control and discipline you would bring to any other Airbus procedure.

In a high-fidelity A320 simulator, you can repeat the sequence without weather, traffic or fuel pressures forcing the next move. You can see the runway fill the windscreen, feel the motion platform respond to the change in pitch and power, and build the habit of acting decisively when a landing is no longer the best option. For aviation enthusiasts, it is one of the most revealing parts of commanding an airliner. For pilots refreshing procedures, it is a focused way to rehearse priorities, callouts and workload management.

Why go-arounds deserve deliberate practice

A go-around is not a failure to land. It is a normal, professional decision to discontinue an approach when the aircraft is not in a position to land safely. An unstable approach, an occupied runway, a sudden windshear alert, poor visual reference or an air traffic control instruction can all demand one.

The challenge is that the aircraft is often at low altitude and in landing configuration. Your eyes are outside, your attention is divided and the runway can create a powerful temptation to continue. Good practice replaces hesitation with a sequence: apply the correct command, establish the correct flight path, manage configuration, follow the published missed approach and communicate clearly.

An Airbus adds its own logic to the exercise. The A320 flight control and autoflight systems support the crew, but they do not remove the need to understand what the aircraft is doing. Practising the action in a realistic cockpit helps connect the written procedure to the sight picture, sounds, force cues and pace of a genuine late-approach decision.

How to practise go arounds with purpose

The strongest sessions begin before the aircraft reaches decision altitude. Brief the approach, identify the missed-approach routing and agree what would make you call for a go-around. If you are flying with an instructor or another pilot, establish who makes the call and who handles each task.

This matters because a go-around should feel like an extension of the approach briefing, not an improvised escape. Know the initial altitude, the first turn or track requirement, any speed restriction and the likely plan after the climb. At a major airport, the published procedure can be busy. At a smaller airfield, terrain, weather and visual cues may shape the workload differently.

Start with a stable, normal approach

Do not begin every repetition from a chaotic position. First, fly a correctly configured approach with sensible energy management and a clear landing picture. Then initiate a planned go-around at a chosen point, such as decision altitude or shortly before touchdown.

This lets you isolate the mechanics. In the Airbus, select go-around thrust using the thrust levers, confirm the flight director guidance, establish the commanded climb and follow the relevant operator-standard callouts. Keep the aeroplane flying before becoming absorbed by levers, switches or radio calls.

The exact callouts and configuration schedule depend on the aircraft variant and the operating procedure being used. If you are a licensed pilot, use your approved operator material and instructor guidance rather than treating a leisure simulator session as a replacement for formal training. The aim is accurate familiarisation and disciplined repetition.

Build the sequence in layers

Once the basic manoeuvre feels settled, add realistic demands one at a time. Begin with a straightforward instrument approach in calm conditions. Next, introduce a modest crosswind, reduced visibility or a runway incursion. Then add air traffic control instructions, terrain constraints or a late change of runway.

A useful progression is to practise go-arounds from different points in the approach. A decision-altitude go-around is deliberate and structured. A low-level go-around after flare demands sharper pitch and directional awareness. A go-around after a bounced landing is different again: it tests whether you can abandon the landing rather than trying to salvage it.

Avoid making every scenario dramatic. The most valuable repetitions often come from ordinary reasons: the approach is not stabilised by the required gate, the aircraft is high on profile, or the runway has not been vacated. These are the decisions that reward calm judgement rather than heroics.

Use the simulator properly

A desktop simulator can help with flows and visualisation, but it cannot fully reproduce the workload of a commercial cockpit. A full replica environment changes the exercise. Genuine Airbus sidesticks, realistic thrust levers, a wraparound visual display and motion cues make it easier to understand why the first seconds matter.

At Simulator Adventures, the Airbus A320 cockpit combines a 6-axis motion platform with a 220-degree HD visual system and instructor support. That gives you the chance to rehearse the transition from descent to climb while surrounded by the cues that make the decision feel real. You are not watching a go-around happen on a screen. You are taking command as the aircraft responds beneath you.

Ask your instructor to pause after each attempt and examine the timeline. Were you stable before the call? Did you apply the correct thrust command promptly? Did you follow the flight director without overcontrolling? Were configuration changes made at the appropriate time? Did the missed approach path remain protected while the crew dealt with communications?

Those questions turn a thrilling manoeuvre into useful feedback.

Common mistakes when practising go-arounds

The first mistake is delaying the decision. Pilots and enthusiasts alike can become fixated on reaching the runway, especially when the landing seems nearly achievable. In practice, an early go-around is usually simpler than a late one. If the approach no longer meets the criteria you briefed, act.

The second is trying to do every task at once. The priority is always flight path, then navigation, then communication. Fly the commanded pitch and thrust profile, confirm where the aircraft is going, and make radio calls when the aircraft is under control. In a two-person crew, use clear task sharing rather than both pilots reaching for the same job.

The third is treating the climb as complete once the wheels are no longer near the runway. A missed approach can contain altitude restrictions, turns, level-offs and a new clearance. Keep scanning. Monitor speed, altitude, lateral guidance and configuration. The workload reduces only when the aircraft is safely established and the crew has time to reset.

Finally, do not practise only the perfect version. A good instructor can create an unexpected late runway crossing, a gusty crosswind or a visual approach that stops looking right. The purpose is not to catch you out. It is to prove that the core actions still hold when the picture changes.

Turn every attempt into a better one

After each go-around, take two minutes for a direct debrief. Identify one thing that worked and one thing to change on the next approach. Perhaps the thrust selection was immediate but the climb attitude was chased too aggressively. Perhaps the aircraft was flown well, but the missed-approach briefing was too vague. Small, specific corrections build far faster than simply repeating the same scenario.

It also helps to practise the next decision. After a go-around, will you enter a hold, fly vectors for another approach, divert, or return for a visual circuit? The answer depends on weather, traffic, fuel and airport procedures. Adding that judgement makes the exercise feel less like a single manoeuvre and more like real command.

A well-flown go-around is one of aviation's clearest displays of professionalism: no drama, no pride, just a prompt decision and a controlled climb away. Practise it until the runway disappearing below you feels not like a setback, but like proof that you are thinking like a captain.