Definition
A pilot-initiated maneuver to discontinue a landing approach and return the airplane to a climbing flight path, typically by applying full power, establishing a positive climb, retracting flaps and landing gear on schedule, and re-entering the traffic pattern or executing a published missed approach procedure.
Plain English
Choosing not to land. The pilot adds power and climbs back up instead of touching down, then circles around to try the landing again or flies somewhere else.
Context Anchor
Pilots use this term during landing training, approach briefings, and any time a landing becomes unsafe or unstable before it is fully completed.
Derivation
“Go-around” comes from the plain idea of going around the traffic pattern to try the landing again. “Rejected” means refused or not accepted; in this term, the pilot is not accepting the landing attempt as safe to continue.
Why Pilots Care
Allows a safe exit from an unstable or unsafe approach, preventing runway excursions or loss of control.
Analogy
Like pulling away from a parking space when you realize it is too tight and driving around the block to find a better one.
Grounding Statement
If the landing no longer looks safe, the pilot stops trying to land and flies away under control.
Intuition Check
Do not think of a go-around/rejected landing as a failure. It is a normal safety decision: if continuing the landing is not the best choice, the correct action is to stop the attempt and climb away.
Example Sentence 1
When the airplane ahead was slow to clear the runway, the pilot announced a go-around, applied full power, and climbed back to pattern altitude.
Example Sentence 2
During training the instructor directed a rejected landing to practice the full climb-out procedure.