What to Say to Tower During a Go-Around

Fly the airplane first — then a short, calm call tells Tower what you are doing. Here is the call, the order of priorities, and the non-towered version. · 5 min read

A go-around — breaking off a landing attempt and climbing back up to try again — is a completely normal, safe maneuver, and choosing to do one is never the wrong call. You might go around because the approach is unstable, the runway is not clear, a gust upset you, or you simply do not like how it is going. Every good pilot goes around sometimes; it is a sign of judgment, not failure. The key thing to understand about the radio during a go-around is that it comes last. Aviate, navigate, communicate — in that exact order. The airplane comes first, always.

Priorities: fly first, talk second

When you decide to go around, your hands and feet get busy before your mouth does: full power, pitch for a climb, positive rate, then clean up flaps and gear on schedule. Only once the airplane is safely climbing and configured do you touch the radio. A go-around that is flown well and announced two seconds late is a success; a go-around delayed to make a tidy radio call is a hazard. Never trade flying the airplane for talking about it.

The call at a towered field

Once you are climbing, tell Tower — they need to know so they can re-sequence you and keep you clear of other traffic. Keep it short:

🎙 You say “Tower, Skyhawk Five-Two-Kilo, going around.”

That is all it needs to be. Fly first, then say this.

Tower will fit you back into the pattern and tell you what they want, which you read back:

📻 ATC says “Skyhawk Five-Two-Kilo, roger, make left traffic, Runway 31.”

🎙 You say “Left traffic, Runway 31, Five-Two-Kilo.”

The call at a non-towered field

At a non-towered airport there is no controller to tell, but you still self-announce so other traffic knows your intentions — especially anyone waiting to depart or on the taxiway:

🎙 You say “Watsonville traffic, Skyhawk Five-Two-Kilo, going around, Runway 20, will re-enter left downwind, Watsonville.”

💡 The most important habit to build: decide early and commit. If any part of you is unsure about the landing, go around — you can always try again. The airplane does not care how many approaches it takes, and neither does anyone on the radio.

💡 The only way this becomes automatic is saying it out loud, dozens of times, before you key a live mic. That is exactly what ATCpal is for — practice the go-around call so it comes out automatically after you are climbing. Practice it free at atcpal.app.

Phraseology sourced from the FAA Aeronautical Information Manual (Change 3, effective 9 July 2026) and the Pilot/Controller Glossary. Check the AIM · Last reviewed 13 August 2026.

Practice this call out loud — free

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