Atlanta controller tells jet to go around as a joke

Even more interesting, look at where the switch is...right on the throttle. I would imagine the flying pilot might already have hands on throttle at 1,000 agl, although I can't say for sure without knowing what standard procedures call for. I imagine the plane is on auto throttle at this point....
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They're talking about it on Beechtalk.

I never just do what ATC says to do without thinking about it for a second and perhaps inquiring. A clear VFR day, runway in sight with no planes on it and the controller tells me to "go around"? I'm gonna ask "why". This has actually happened to me a few times.

 

Yeah, Go Around is a one button push. If the AP is on, pushing the GA will both increase power and pitch up. If the AP is off, pushing the GA will just increase power and the Flight Director will command a pitch up.

It sounds like Delta acknowleged with, "on the go" almost immediately. It's hard to hear as ATC is transmitting at the same time saying he's joking.

We (I) typically don't question a Go Around from ATC. They happen very infrequently. Usually it's due to conflicting traffic. Possibly traffic I can't see. If ATC says go, we go.

I haven't done a go around in probably 6 or 7 years. Of course, plenty in the sim.

 

Also, auto throttle on or off doesn't matter. Go around is armed with the flaps out of "UP".

 

When you listen to the real time ATC chatter there is a definite break in the transmission after 'Go around'. It also sounds like the beginning of 'It was a joke' is stepped on, probably by Delta acknowledging the instruction.

There is a lot happening on a go around (*******s and elbows) so as others have said once the TO/GA is pressed you are pretty much committed. I don't buy the pilot trying to screw the controller theory based solely on how much we all hate going around. Way too much paperwork and opportunity for altitude busts, course deviations, etc. Nobody goes around out of spite, at least in my experience.

 

In a more leisurely situation, the pilot would have the time to question the controller's request. But if you've ever flown into and out of ATL, I don't think a pilot would question anything a controller tells him; there are just too many aircraft around, and too much at stake.

 

Not from this ex-airline ATP you won't...the pilot was an ******* doing this when it obviously was a joke. Have heard this before BTW and everyone laughed.

And they wonder why there is animosity between pilots and controllers. That pilot was a jerk, of course he was "Delta", naturally

 

Nope. VFR conditions he would have been hand flying it.. HOWEVER, your first post made sense about stepping on the controller during his retransmission of the "joke" side and the not hearing it. If that happened I take back what I said about the pilot. No way to know.

 

I don't deal with ATC enough to have a definitive opinion, but when ATC tells little old piston single pilot me to do something, I do it unless unable. My perception is that joking banter is "casual speak," not specific commands like go around, hold short, etc. For example, in my high traffic environment with ADS controller right under Class B DFW airspace I am very attentive, as I get traffic calls all the time. If I get told to turn for traffic, I turn HARD unless I have the traffic in sight.

Now if there is little or no traffic, and ATC seems in the mood, some light banter is fine.

I also don't understand anti ATC animosity. Aviators get to have the joy and freedom of flight, and ATC has a high stress and tedious job of trying to keep everyone aloft moving and safe. Of course they are not perfect, but if you want to biatch about it, perhaps you should try it and be a part of the fix, rather than just whine.

Seems a poorly timed joke and probably an overreaction by the pilot, but in any event a situation that did not affect anyone's safety, but probably delayed pax arrival while two individuals jerked around. If I was in charge of discipline I'd talk to both individuals, try to create a spirit of detente and not be so harsh as to generate a grudge between the pilot/ATC camps. I would think a nice talk with both parties in person the next time they are together at the airport might do the trick.

 

ATC controllers have little experience in the cockpit... we let controllers hitch rides to where ever we were going... FAA permitted the controllers to experience what the other end of the mic looks like... it was very much appreciated... it allowed to put faces with the voices... we would get a call from controllers who recognized us to set up a flight...it was a win win for all...

 

Nope. Generally autopilot/autothrottles come off at the same time, around 1000 AGL in the slot.

 

The controller really should've known better than to say that. The pilot was told to go around and absolutely did the right thing by going around.
What all does a go around button do on a big jet? This one disengages the AP, pitches the FD to 10 degrees and sequences the FMS to the missed approach if you're flying an RNAV.
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This was, I believe a 777, I fly a different Boeing but they're all pretty consistent. Pressing TO/GA while in approach mode changes the roll and pitch modes to TO/GA. TO/GA as a roll mode maintains present ground track and pitch is maintained to current airspeed set in the MCP window. Autothrottles go into THR mode to maintain a 2000FPM climb. The pilot flying will make a call to the effect of 'go around, flaps xx'. The pilot monitoring retracts the flaps, ensures GA thrust is set, checks for positive climb, makes that call, and retracts the gear at the command of the PF. The PF is checking to make sure the FMS has sequenced to the missed, calls for a lateral mode (LNAV or HDG) above 400', and calls for a pitch mode (VNAV) above 1000' which will close the speed window and allow the airplane to accelerate for flap retraction. Go arounds are very, very busy in an airliner with everything happening really quickly which is why most are so loathe to perform them unless absolutely necessary.

 

I understand having an opinion, but I don't understand how you can be so absolutely certain of what happened up there.

On the recording, it does sound like the "I'm kidding" transmission was stepped on, which is also consistent with the pilot saying "sorry, say again." Fully 19 seconds pass between the time the controller says "go around" and "you're clear to land."

 

I'm going to print this out and use it as a study guide prior to my next recurrent training!

 

Yeah, I'm in 57/67 school now. Sounds familiar, lol.

 

Pretty similar in the much smaller Beech 400 although our FMS doesn't change modes. For training purposes I'll do either a go around/missed or single engine approach to a go around or missed each flight for checkride prep purposes. I would imagine airliner guys practice single engine stuff in the sim. How often do they get you in to a sim to work on that stuff?