The Go-Around isn't JUST about circling around for another landing attempt. What if you have departing traffic directly below? Gold Seal's Nate Tennant explains how to avoid disaster with a simple side-step. www.GroundSchool.com
Traffic and terrain should always be your main consideration. But there is a problem with sidestepping to the left- it becomes very difficult, and perhaps impossible, to keep visual contact with the departing aircraft by trying to watch through the passenger-side window. Also keep in mind that the sidestep is not so wide that it places you in either the downwind or the upwind.
Should the sidestep always be to the right? Let's say the runway has right pattern traffic - wouldn't left be best here to make sure you're further from pattern traffic and out of the way of any straight-out or 45° departures?
Sidestepping to the left (assuming left traffic) would put you >closer< to the traffic on downwind. The main reason for sidestepping to the right is visibility. From the pilot's side, the best visibility will be to his/her left. Very difficult to visually follow parallel traffic trying to look out of the passenger window.
@@GoldSealFlight That's if you're in an aircraft with a left and right seat. Also bare in mind no-fly danger zones. On runway 28 at Headcorn, a right side-step would place you in the no-fly danger zone (parachute drops). So on runway 28 at Headcorn, it's a left side-step but that does make it hard to see the traffic you've given way to should you be in a left seat aircraft, puts you above a taxi-way and very close to spectators.
In most cases, sidestepping to the right is preferred because that provides easier continuous visibility of the airplane below through the pilot's window. Sidestepping to the left can make this difficult.
Although traffic conflicts are ALWAYS the number one consideration, traffic pattern direction is not. The sidestep is not so exaggerated that it will put you into the pattern airspace. It's just enough so that you can maintain visual contact with the aircraft departing below you. From the left seat, it can be very difficult (and perhaps impossible) to stay in visual contact while leaning over to look out of the right side window.
