How often do touch and go landings happen?

Go-Arounds vs. Touch-and-Go Landings: Frequency and Purpose

In the realm of aviation, both go-arounds and touch-and-go landings play distinct roles in the training and operation of aircraft. Understanding their frequency and purpose is crucial for the safety and efficiency of air travel.

Go-Arounds: Uncommon Occurrences

Go-arounds, also known as “aborted landings,” are relatively infrequent events in commercial aviation. This is because pilots are highly trained to assess conditions and make decisions that mitigate the need for go-arounds. According to the Aviation Safety Network, go-arounds occur in approximately 1 out of every 2,000 landings worldwide.

Touch-and-Go Landings: Frequent Maneuvers

In contrast to go-arounds, touch-and-go landings are much more common, especially at smaller airports and during flight training. These are intentional maneuvers where an aircraft touches down on the runway, touches its wheels, and immediately takes off again without coming to a complete stop.

Their frequency varies depending on the airport and the purpose of the operation. For instance, at smaller airports used primarily for training, it is not uncommon to witness multiple touch-and-go landings within a short period.

Frequency for Commercial Airliners

Determining the exact frequency of touch-and-go landings for commercial airliners is challenging due to limited publicly available data. However, given their infrequent nature relative to go-arounds and the fact that they primarily occur during training, it is safe to conclude that touch-and-go landings are not frequent events for commercial airliners.

Purpose of Touch-and-Go Landings

Touch-and-go landings serve multiple purposes in the aviation industry:

• Pilot Training: They are an essential training maneuver for pilots, allowing them to practice initiating and executing landings without fully stopping the aircraft.
• Aircraft Certification: Touch-and-go landings may be required during aircraft certification tests to evaluate the performance and capabilities of new or modified aircraft.
• Intermediate Stops: In rare cases, commercial airliners may perform touch-and-go landings at designated locations along their route to pick up or drop off passengers or cargo.

Conclusion

Touch-and-go landings are specialized maneuvers that occur more frequently at smaller airports and during flight training compared to go-arounds, which are uncommon events in commercial aviation. While the exact frequency of touch-and-go landings for commercial airliners is difficult to quantify, it is generally understood to be significantly lower than the occurrence of go-arounds. These maneuvers, whether for training, certification, or operational purposes, contribute to the safety and proficiency of aviation operations.