IFR Checkride Guide
Chair flying / Missed Approach

Missed Approach

Execute the miss decisively — the power-up/pitch-up/clean-up flow, the published procedure, and the report to ATC.

Guided rehearsal is PremiumACS VI.C — Missed Approach

Setup

  1. Before every approach: brief the first two steps of the miss aloud
    "Climb to 2,000, then climbing right turn direct ABC VOR, hold" — memorize the first altitude and first turn; read the rest once established.
  2. Know when a miss is required: at DA/MAP without 91.175(c) references, when the approach becomes unstabilized, or when ATC directs

Execution

  1. Decision: full power, pitch to the climb attitude“Going missed — full power”
  2. Flaps up on schedule, climb at 76 KIAS, positive rate“Positive rate”
  3. Fly the published miss — first altitude, first turn; no turns before the MAP unless published
    If the miss began early, fly to the MAP along the final approach course before turning, unless ATC assigns otherwise.
  4. Sequence the navigator / twist the next course; report the miss to ATC with intentions“Missed approach — request”
  5. Hold: airspeed ±10 kt, course ±10°, altitudes ±100 ft through the procedure

Recovery

  1. Climb checklist, then decide: another approach, hold, or divert to the alternate
  2. Request the clearance and re-brief

ACS tolerances

  • Airspeed ±10 kt
  • Heading/course/bearing ±10°
  • Altitude ±100 ft

Common errors

  • Hesitating at DA/MAP — altitude keeps decaying while you decide
  • Pitch up without power, or power without pitch — know the go-around flow cold
  • Turning before the MAP on an early miss
  • Forgetting to sequence the navigator, then following dead guidance