How do you go around in a Mooney?

[201er]

What order do you clean up flaps and gear in a go around. Feel free to elaborate on your entire procedure from the moment you elect to go around until you are in a normal climb mentioning things like throttle, cowl flaps, etc.

[Boilermonkey]

Power, push, trim while maintaining coordination and directional control.   Positive rate, then gear up, then flaps to T/O, then fully up.   At some point during/after gear up communicate.

[Hank]

My normal procedure is add full power; verify out the window and with IVSI--positive rate, then gear up; when above obstacles, milk out the flaps. Adjust trim wheel throughout, targeting elimination of yoke pressure.

Then again, I almost never use full flaps to land. So often when I exit the runway, my trim indicator is very close to the Takeoff mark.

If I'm starting the go around no later than short final, I'll often make the call then; if I'm starting over the runway, I'll make the call when able. But I don't have trouble calling TnG while rolling on the ground, so no trouble calling the go around in a timely manner, either.

[N201MKTurbo]

1/2 power, gear up, trim, full power, positive rate, flaps up.

this all takes about 5 seconds.

I give the first power application until there is good back pressure on the yoke. This will stop the descent and give a little positive rate.

Edited April 15, 2022 by N201MKTurbo

[exM20K]

The book says:

However, I don’t immediately go full power.

more like:

1. power up
2. trim down
3. right rudder
4. positive rate, gear up
5. flaps up.

gear is a big drag item.  Try slow flight, constant airspeed and power, gear down and up.  It’s eye-opening.

-dan

[A64Pilot]

I always use full flaps to land, my J model at max gross will easily go-around and climb with full flaps and gear down, for me it’s establish aircraft control first, you have plenty of time for gear and flaps, don’t get into too big of a hurry, but treat it as a normal takeoff, just one that the trim wasn’t set right. She will climb better with no flap of course, but she climbs fine at max gross with full flaps

Go out and try a go-around leaving the flaps full down, it’s not an issue, and if the control force is too much, your landing with too much up trim, there is nothing wrong with having to pull up to flare, that electric trim is nice, but one day it won’t work

I don’t push the prop forward and go full rich until final, and I also open the cowl flaps then, so if I have to go-around everything except trim is set. I base off of grass so deer and these big stupid birds we have down here make a go-around a lot more likely for me than people who are based where there is a tower, especially those big stupid birds.

These things, they are bigger than Turkeys

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sandhill_crane

Edited April 15, 2022 by A64Pilot

[aviatoreb]

Here's something I almost learned the hard way about 10 years ago during IFR practice approach with a safety pilot when I was still relatively new to my Mooney rocket.

My airplane has so much power that I really don't want to go around by jamming the power in as if an IFR go around missed approach is a short fuse crisis.  An IFR go around is simply failure to see the ground but at the missed point, you are still over the air field and you have more than 3 seconds to go around while you are still over safe airport grounds.  

Almost 10 years ago, I did as I was taught in my former airplane - a Diamond DA40 with less power, to arrest the descent (pitch) push in power full take off power straight off, pitch up, then clean up and climb.  That was probably a bad idea for that plane with its power IO360 that is very similar in power to weight ratio as a M20J.  But in my rocket with all its excess power, what that did is started a lot of p-factor I was not yet used to and started some rolling moment that my safety pilot panicked for a sec then he grabbed the controls and corrected.  And I learned my lesson.

So now I gradually push in power in stages as I am closely monitoring pitch and roll - especially in IFR (or simulated) but also in any go around.

[BobbyH]

6 minutes ago, A64Pilot said:

I always use full flaps, my J model at max gross will easily go-around and climb with full flaps and gear down, for me it’s establish aircraft control first, you have plenty of time for gear and flaps, don’t get into too big of a hurry, but treat it as a normal takeoff, just one that the trim wasn’t set right.

In the 66' M20E with manual gear and manual hydraulic flaps, it can get a little busy on a go around.  @A64Pilot said it very well, "don't get into too big of a hurry" and "establish aircraft control first" .  What works well for me is to add enough power to arrest the descent, as airspeed approaches Vx to Vy initiate gentle climb, release flap lock (because I typically use full flaps on landing), go to full power as flaps are coming up and when established/trimmed in normal takeoff climb raise the gear.  I'm not sure how long it takes but always feel I have plenty of time and just take it in stride. 

[Fly Boomer]

1 hour ago, A64Pilot said:

at max gross will easily go-around and climb with full flaps and gear down

^^^ this

[Boilermonkey]

Go Around before touching down is straight forward.  What kills people more often (it seems) is go around in the flare or after touch down.   Example, you're in a C206, M20M, M20TN, etc. ....big engine and heavier airframe.   You touch down to fast and in a cross wind.   Things get squirrely, maybe you bounce and start to porpoise.  You add full power in a hurry because you are way behind the power curve and need to escape quickly.   You've probably got a lot of nose up trim and in a heartbeat you are pitching up like a SOB if you aren't pushing down in a big way.    Gear and flaps are not the problem.  Order of events is not the problem.   Maintaining directional control an pitch is the most critical phase of a go around, that's the problem to solve.   On top of that is the startle factor...oh sh** I'm headed for the grass or bounced big.   You've gotta move quickly and smartly. 

[carusoam]

Decide early on… to go around… don’t wait on the decision… Landing long is bad….

From 180hp to 310hp… balance power, trim, and arm strength…. There is always more than enough power available….

Know your flap retraction system is working as designed… having them snap into the 0° position would be bad….

 

Add more power to suit… 

Trim continuously…. Including the rudder if you have rudder trim (least important)…

Don’t let the plane fly you…

Go arounds and NJ’s cheap fuel are tough on Bravos…. Two have had difficulty at 47N…

Not a lot known regarding the details of what and why for these cases…

PP thoughts only, not a cfi….

Best regards,

-a-

[Utah20Gflyer]

Full power, retrim, gear up at 80 mph, flaps up 100mph positive rate. 

Being a G model I can go full power and still be ok by pushing forward on the yoke until I get trimmed out.  

I have hydraulic flaps so I don't feel comfortable trying to partially retract flaps low to the ground, so I'm going to gain speed and altitude before I mess with them.   I most often land with half flaps which is perfect for a go around since that's takeoff flaps.   If I happen to be full flaps I'm going with that until I'm at 100 mph and climbing.  

[aviatoreb]

8 hours ago, Boilermonkey said:

Go Around before touching down is straight forward.  What kills people more often (it seems) is go around in the flare or after touch down.   Example, you're in a C206, M20M, M20TN, etc. ....big engine and heavier airframe.   You touch down to fast and in a cross wind.   Things get squirrely, maybe you bounce and start to porpoise.  You add full power in a hurry because you are way behind the power curve and need to escape quickly.   You've probably got a lot of nose up trim and in a heartbeat you are pitching up like a SOB if you aren't pushing down in a big way.    Gear and flaps are not the problem.  Order of events is not the problem.   Maintaining directional control an pitch is the most critical phase of a go around, that's the problem to solve.   On top of that is the startle factor...oh sh** I'm headed for the grass or bounced big.   You've gotta move quickly and smartly. 

Right - that's a bit like I was saying - In a situation like that with a high power engine - don't necessarily jam the power in when at a high angle of attack. Ease it in may be the thing and maintain proper directional while remembering p-factor etc.

Edited April 16, 2022 by aviatoreb

[RobertGary1]

For low approaches in dense fog I don’t bring flaps out until landing assured. I don’t find flaps are necessary on approach and since a go around is often highly likely it’s one less thing to do. 

[Danb]

MIXTURE/ Prop/POWER

PITCH

CLIMB. VX FLAPS. 80 KNOTS

GEAR UP

COWL FLAPS OPEN

CLIMB VY. 105 Knots

[EricJ]

If I'm low and slow, e.g., VFR and wildlife pops out on the runway, then WOT first, gear, flaps once stabilized in climb.    If it's an instrument approach and I'm still at 90kts or thereabouts, gear first (or maybe partial throttle, depending on height above ground), then WOT once gear is up, then flaps after stabilized in climb.

I can't pull the gear up over about 90-95kts, so if I'm near that speed I have to manage that first before going WOT or it'll be a steeper climb than is safe that low.

 

[jaylw314]

I add full power and push.  I don't touch anything else, and I know how much push I need with the go-around.  Only when I can see I'm more than 100' AGL or so do throw in a bunch of nose down trim to make life easier, then 3 seconds of flaps (halfway in my plane), gear up, then flaps up, fuel pump off, cowl flaps open and finish trimming for the climb.

For me, the key is not touching trim or anything else until I know I'm away from the ground.  I know how the yoke should feel during the go-around, that the plane will climb, and I know I can do it one-handed for a minute, so I don't want to have to mess around with anything until I have more time.

Edited April 16, 2022 by jaylw314

[RobertGary1]

3 hours ago, Danb said:

MIXTURE/ Prop/POWER

PITCH

CLIMB. VX FLAPS. 80 KNOTS

GEAR UP

COWL FLAPS OPEN

CLIMB VY. 105 Knots

One note is for ifr missed I find that students who add power and then pitch very frequently end up not climbing. The acceleration gives a tumbling sensation. I find that if you’re already at approach speed if you pitch first and then add power this issues goes away. At approach speed the momentary speed loss isn’t an issue. 

[A64Pilot]

I believe a missed approach is different than the average go around, a missed approach your already thinking about it, your going faster and of course aren’t on the runway, your executing a plan.

So that a missed you have more time to perform a planned maneuver. I used to like IFR because everything’s planned and you execute the plan

Often a go-around isn’t planned, it’s sort of an almost immediate action reactive kind of thing, animal darts on the runway etc.

But not always, sometimes you realize I’ve blown this approach, best to go around and try again, that’s more liked the missed as it’s planned and thought out.

So I guess there isn’t one correct answer to how do you perform a go around?

[Ned Gravel]

In my E model, I normally land with T/O flaps. I only need to retract flaps to fly faster than the white arc (100 mph).  Prop and mixture are already full forward.  
 

So…power up, pitch for positive rate, 95 mph and trim, gear up, flaps up, trim down, head for the missed approach fix.   Then prop back to 2500, MAP to 20”, 120 mph or so, fly the hold.  

[midlifeflyer]

I haven't looked at the older models but the POH procedure for both the J and R are similar to all the other singles I have flown. Power and pitch to initiate a climb, flaps to an intermediate level, stabilizing the climb, and then cleaning up the rest - gear and remaining flaps.

Stabilizing the climb is the most important piece. The event that causes the go-around may be sudden but the pilot response is measured. Since I fly multiple makes and models I don't see a reason to play around with that sequence which I have done with no problem in Cs, Js, and Rs. Mooneys, even those with manual gear climb just fine with the gear down. We tend to hurry the gear in a C because of the lower speed needed for easy retraction, but it will climb out just fine at 80.

At the same I don't think  gear or flaps first matters much in a Mooney. The flaps aren't all that effective and produce less drag compared with a lot of other airplanes, so if that's your choice and it works...

 

 

Edited April 16, 2022 by midlifeflyer

[MatthiasArnold]

M20R IFR go-arounds the way I practice them:

In General:

• As stated in some of the posts above FLAPS-GEAR-FLAPS and most important stabilize (= AVIATE).

In Detail:

• gently apply WOT, check prop & mixture full forward and prepare for high elevator control forces
• check heading, wings level, nose 8° over horizon (= attitude)
• check speed, flaps from down to T/O (this releases control forces)
• check positive rate of climb, gear-up, trim nose down & check/adjust attitude
• check speed, flaps from T/O to up, adjust trim
• check/adjust attitude, set heading bug & activate A/P
• activate & follow missed approach procedure on FMS/HSI
• communicate with responsible ATC
• read & do after take off checklist

Basically its the sequence WOT-FLAPS-GEAR-FLAPS with applied priorities AVIATE-NAVIGATE-COMMUNICATE:
The workload in this situation is very high so AVIATE has absolute highest priority.
Just recently the German aviation authorities published the final report for a fatal accident of an M20K with experienced pilot in heavy IMC (RVR app 250m, VV000). He stopped descent at DA but unfortunately lost control during the go-around - very sad.
You can download the full report here  - its written in German though. If you want to translate some of the German text to a language of your convenience I would recommend using DeepL.

BTW: for my O2 : when I apply the correct attitude (WOT, 8° nose up, wings level, cleaning up step by step) the aircraft will automatically stabilize at Vy (= 105KIAS) - just like magic..

Best, 
Matthias

[1964-M20E]

The only time I recall doing a go-around for cause instead of for training the order was the same but the speed at which it was done was quicker.

I was practicing approaches weather was about 10SM, 010 OVC I was returning to my home field a turf strip.  There were other factors going on during the approach and I was high and fast and the wheels touched well down the strip which was also wet at the time.  Realizing that I would not be able to stop the plane before the end of the runway I fire-walled everything immediately established my climb cleared the wires at the end of the field and went around for another landing which was successful.

[Hank]

Go around should not be difficult. I apologize for.being unable (yet) to name this video, but my wife filmed thus expecting me to land. Note that it was very bumpy that afternoon,, and I went around due to being a little high and blown around on a 3000' field.

https://click.email.vimeo.com/u/?qs=a8afaadeb44689c2fd34a19018d288212a71914d88e99bc52647562329bd61edb494c17528231f200b005cddaa0d7bf67fb0c25333b304ce7f0f1f715bd6da23

Huh. Won't go in as an image.

[midlifeflyer]

4 hours ago, MatthiasArnold said:

M20R IFR go-arounds the way I practice them:

Not much reason for a difference in sequence is there?

I think that especially with the higher powered ones like the Ovation, there is a concern with the go-around from the landing configuration because of the increased differential - and trim - from the landing configuration compared with the approach configuration. I'm not a huge and not particularly strong but a few weeks ago I did an unanticipated go-around in an Ovation from landing configuration and idle power. It really wasn't that big a deal and I think that the drag from not rushing the gear retraction may have actually been a benefit.