New Campaign Advocates for Go-Arounds as a Safety Measure in General Aviation
A new aviation safety campaign is making waves in the general aviation community. Its goal? To change the way pilots perceive missed approaches and go-arounds. The campaign, launched by flight instructor Jim Pitman, aims to present go-arounds not as failures, but as smart, positive aeronautical decision-making. Safety advocates believe this shift in mindset is long overdue.
Sobering statistics underscore the importance of this campaign. According to data from the Flight Safety Foundation, 83% of runway excursion accidents—the leading cause of aviation accidents worldwide—could have been prevented by a timely go-around. However, research suggests that only 3–5% of unstabilized approaches result in pilots choosing to go around. This points to a deeply ingrained reluctance in pilot culture.
The campaign aims to normalize the go-around, presenting it as a routine safety measure rather than an embarrassment. By doing so, it hopes to reduce the number of approach-and-landing accidents across the general aviation fleet. Safety experts highlight factors such as continuation bias, peer pressure, and organizational culture as barriers to making the safest call. The campaign encourages flight schools, instructors, and flying clubs to celebrate the decision to go around as a hallmark of good airmanship. This story was reported by General Aviation News on September 18, 2026.
Source: General Aviation News – Aviation Safety Campaign Promotes Go-Around Culture