wrote:
ow this might have played out
if I had been on an instrument approach. Say I was on an ILS (HAF has
none, but pretend) at minimums, and I had to abort the landing after
the MAP. The weather is way below circling, so I need to get back up
again. It's too late to fly the missed. What can I safely do?

Dave S wrote:
On the garden variety Cat 1 ILS you are at 200 feet AGL and over the
approach lights when you reach DH (decision height). How would it be
"too late" to fly the missed approach? If you are genuinely concerned,
pitch for VX instead of VY for any percieved obstacle clearance, but VY
should suffice nicely.

I mis-wrote in my first post, though most readers got my drift. I said
I was at minimums when I should have said that the weather was at
minimums (implying, for example, that circling back would be out) I was
talking about a scenario where I would be well below DH or past a MAP
when the runway incursion occurs.

As you point out, every instrument pilot knows you can initiate a
missed approach from DH or at the MAP. After all, most of us learned
how to fly approaches by repeatedly practicing that very scenario.

Also think about the practical aspects.. You went around because of a
runway incursion by an aircraft that didn't look before entering the
runway... had this been during a socked in IFR day, with a 200 or 300
foot ceiling, the vfr guys wouldnt even be turning a wheel.

I personally find this explanation somewhat unsatisfying. I (try to)
know the rules and operate by them but don't like my options to be
limited by what the "VFR guys" are //supposed// to be doing. I have
been flying long enough to see plenty of people depart VFR from
uncontrolled airports when they clearly should not have. Also, there
are the scenarios of the snowplow, animal, FOD, runway lights suddenly
going out, etc.

I'm satisfied with the answer found by the poster named Ray who found
the AIM section (5-4-21-g) that describes the procedure for going
around afer DH/MAP. They state quite clearly that the pilot should be
thinking "takeoff", not "missed."

I'm really surprised now that so many people state matter-of-factly
that just flying the missed is appropriate. It may work at 99% of
airports 99% of the time, but it is clearly //not// the right answer.
This is why I originally posted the question -- I didn't know the
answer, but I knew it could not be "just fly the missed." After all, if
you are below DH or past a MAP you are really not even on a charted
segment of the approach.

Another way of looking at is it is that you could actually have just
put the mains on the ground and see a snowplow turn onto the runway,
with your best option to put in power and get back in the air. Missed
approach situation? I think not.

-- dave j