Despite the of precision WAAS approaches, real-time weather apps, and dependable automation, the missed approach hasn’t gone away—it’s just become rarer and, for many pilots, more difficult. In that way, it's a maneuver that tests not just your stick and rudder skills, but your mindset. This article, based on a real-world go-around, shares six rules that can help you stay sharp and stay safe when the unexpected happens.

The two most useful benefits have been ADS-B datalink weather and a real-time traffic display in the cockpit, delivered by the network of ADS-B ground stations in the U.S. These free services are available to pilots of all aircraft types (even drones) thanks to the widespread availability of inexpensive, portable ADS-B receivers and rapid developments in mobile app and panel-mount avionics technology.

Do you fly with SOPs? Standard operating procedures (SOPs) are commonly used in the corporate and airline flying world as a way of formalizing the do's and don'ts of a flight department and making sure every pilot follows the same procedures. I'm generally suspicious of SOPs in life, because they limit your ability to be flexible and react creatively to life's inevitable changes (we all like our freedom). But when it comes to IFR flying, I believe SOPs are a critical safety tool.