Missed approaches

PerthAirport is experiencing a higher than usual go-around rate due to the very strong easterly winds and the closure for repairs of the cross runway.

According to air traffic controllers the missed approach or go-around rate for Perth, which is the highest of any capital city, has increased significantly because of the runway closure for repairs.

The airport was forced to close runway 06/24 – which runs north-east/south-west - for repairs in August and it will not reopen till March.

Pilots perform a missed approach if their plane is unstable caused by strong cross winds or severe turbulence and wind shear.

In summer the airport is sometimes impacted by strong winds off the Darling Range, which acts a little like a rock in a stream, and the wind tumbles off the hills, creating wind shear.

Pilots are also forced to perform missed approaches if the plane ahead of them doesn’t exit the runway quickly enough.

PerthAirport does not have any high speed taxiways and thus pilots sometimes must bring their planes almost to a stop before turning off the runway.

However a report conducted by the UK air traffic controller NATS found that some locals pilots were too slow to get off the runway.

The airport and Airservices, Australia’s air traffic control provider are working on a number of initiatives to increase the efficiency of the runways.

In the video below "Qantas737800" brillantly captures a Singapore Airlines A330 performing a missed approach. In this case the Singapore Airlines pilot is battleing strong north-westerly winds and you will note the dipping of the wing to the left and into the direction of the wind to help offset the impact. To see more videos by "Qantas737800" click here.