Airbus Develops 'Soft Go-Around' Tech to Combat Pilot Disorientation

Aircraft manufacturers and regulators are exploring alternatives to conventional go-around procedures following concerns from experienced aviators that current maximum-power protocols may create unnecessary safety risks during aborted landings.

While go-arounds remain uncommon in commercial operations—occurring in only one to three approaches per thousand—roughly ten percent result in potentially hazardous situations once initiated, according to data from the Flight Safety Foundation. The debate centers on whether pilots should continue applying full takeoff power during these maneuvers, a practice now being questioned by retired airline captains and industry veterans.

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The primary concern involves a phenomenon called somatogravic illusion, which occurs when pilots rapidly apply full thrust during instrument conditions or nighttime operations. The intense forward acceleration generated during standard all-engines-operating go-arounds can mislead a pilot's inner ear, causing the brain to falsely interpret the sensation as excessive nose-up pitch despite lacking outside visual references. This spatial disorientation emerges precisely when flight crews face one of aviation's most demanding phases.

Airbus is reportedly addressing these challenges through automated technology that moderates the traditional aggressive ascent profile. The system provides thrust calibrated to current aircraft weight, altitude, and velocity rather than maximum power, limiting initial climb rates to approximately two thousand feet per minute. Pilots maintain familiar procedures by first advancing thrust levers to the standard go-around position, then reducing power by one detent when maximum thrust proves unnecessary.

Both the Federal Aviation Administration and Airbus are examining how these refined techniques could integrate with contemporary airspace management systems. Proponents argue that by eliminating the sharp acceleration that triggers sensory confusion, the approach significantly reduces crew workload during critical moments while preserving established pilot training patterns. The technology aims to deliver what developers characterize as a gentler flight path without compromising the fundamental safety margins that make go-arounds essential to commercial aviation.