Everything Explained: The low approach

Not everyone learns the same way. Some prefer to read, others like watching videos, still others are very much hands on.

That became evident when we ran a recent report from the Aviation Safety Reporting System (ASRS), Cessna 172 pilot confused by ATC request.

It created quite a discussion about the terms a pilot should know.

At the heart of the matter, the controller asked the pilot to perform a maneuver the pilot was unfamiliar with. (Yes, the pilot did ask for clarification, but never understood what exactly was being asked of him.) The maneuver was a low approach.

Interestingly, more than a few commenters admitted to having never heard the term low approach. Whether they knew the term and forgot or never learned it doesn’t matter.

Not long after we published this report, I received a review copy of the 14th edition of “Everything Explained for the Professional Pilot.” The subtitle is “Excruciatingly Detailed Plain English Explanations of Everything Essential for Every Pilot.”

Author Richie Lengel is obviously confident his book contains “the answers to all the questions.”

I’ll be honest, when I initially flipped through the book I was immediately overwhelmed. Bold and underlined text, highlighted text, clip art, and photos assaulted my eyes. (Personally, I’m solidly in the less is more camp.) 

And then I remembered the low approach discussion. I turned to the index in the back. Low approach … 61.

So I turned to page 61. The following is verbatim (including formatting): 

LOW Approach (AIM 4-3-12, P/C Glossary)

1. A go-around maneuver over an airport following a practice instrument or visual approach where instead of landing or making a touch-and-go, the pilot intentionally does not make contact with the runway (sometimes called a low pass).
2. When operating in Class B, C, or D airspace, the pilot should request the low approach prior to starting the final approach.
3. At Class E or G airports, a pilot intending to make a low approach should, prior to leaving the final approach fix inbound, broadcast intentions on the UNICOM or FSS frequency.

And here’s what the AIM and Pilot Controller Glossary, respectively, state about the low approach.

AIM (4-3-12): A low approach (also called a low pass) is the go-around maneuver following an approach. Instead of landing or making a touch-and-go, a pilot may wish to go around (low approach) in order to expedite a particular operation (a series of practice instrument approaches is an example of such an operation). Unless otherwise authorized by ATC, the low approach should be made straight ahead, with no turns or climb made until the pilot has made a thorough visual check for other aircraft in the area.

From the Pilot Controller Glossary: LOW APPROACH. An approach over an airport or runway following an instrument approach or a VFR approach including the go-around maneuver where the pilot intentionally does not make contact with the runway. (Refer to AIM.)

Everything Explained combines the two bits from the AIM and Pilot Controller Glossary, adds some additional airspace context, and stylizes it with the intent of making pertinent information stand out.

After this bit of research, my initial judgment of the book has softened. I can see myself pulling the 14th edition of Everything Explained for the Professional Pilot from my shelf whenever I need clarification.

Everything Explained is available as a softcover book and an iPad app. Each retails for $59.95. Purchase the physical book at the Aviation-Press.com website or test drive the app for free (a few sample pages are provided, an in-app purchase unlocks the rest of the book).