In the Air Force, they grade take-off and landings? Would a pilot grade not take a hit on their grading for going off runway?
Maybe the term should be changed?
I let my 6 Million Dollar Man AI brain look into RL
Depending on the exact situation, the Air Force uses a few precise operational terms for failing to complete a landing on the runway:
• Go-Around: This is the most common term used when a pilot or Air Traffic Control (ATC) decides to abort a landing while on final approach. The pilot applies full power, climbs back to a safe altitude, and loops around for another attempt.
• Missed Approach: This specific term is used when flying under Instrument Flight Rules (IFR). If the pilot reaches the designated "Decision Altitude" or "Missed Approach Point" and cannot see the runway environment due to bad weather or low visibility, they must immediately execute a predetermined missed approach procedure.
• Runway Excursion: If the aircraft actually touches down but physically misses staying on the runway surface—either by veering off the side or overshooting the end—it is officially classified as a runway excursion.
1. When it helps (or does not hurt) your grade
• The "Safe Choice" Bonus: In military aviation, safety and situational awareness are heavily evaluated. If a student pilot realizes the approach is unstable (e.g., too high, too fast, or misaligned) and immediately calls a "go-around," instructors treat it as a correct operational decision. Initiating a go-around ensures a "Safe" grade or better, rather than forcing a bad landing that leads to a dangerous situation.
• Weather-Dictated Missed Approach: If a pilot executes a missed approach because the clouds are too low or visibility is poor at the decision altitude, it is a legally required safety procedure. They are graded on their ability to fly the complex instrument procedures flawlessly, not on whether they touched the tarmac.
2. When it negatively affects your grade
• Poor Fly-In Technique: If a student missed the runway because they flew a sloppy, uncoordinated approach and had to go around due to their own poor airmanship, the go-around maneuver itself will be graded fine, but they will be marked down for the poorly flown approach that caused it.
• Frozen / Indecisive Action: If a student tries to "salvage" a bad approach instead of going around, or waits far too late to apply power, it is a major grading penalty. In military flight training, a late go-around decision can trigger an immediate "Unsatisfactory" (U) daily grade for safety.
• Runway Excursions: If a pilot actually touches down but veers off or overshoots the runway (a runway excursion), this is an aircraft mishap. It results in a failed flight check, an immediate safety investigation, and can potentially wash a student out of pilot training entirely.
