Whether you're a new student or an experienced pilot, here are tips you can use for flying your next stop-and-go landing...

Little Guidance From The FAA Books

You won't find guidance on stop-and-go landings from the FAA in either the Airplane Flying Handbook or the Pilot's Handbook of Aeronautical Knowledge. One of the only acknowledgments is given by the AIM, with the short quote, "a stop-and-go landing is a procedure where an aircraft will land, make a complete stop on the runway, and then commence a takeoff from that point." In a separate safety document, the FAA says "do this only with adequate runway length and after coordination with Air Traffic Control and/or other pilots at non-towered airports."

So how should you fly it?

Flying The Stop-And-Go

Stop-and-go landings are pretty straightforward. You'll fly a normal approach to landing, stop on the runway instead of exiting, reconfigure for takeoff, and initiate the takeoff roll.

Obviously, the most important part of the maneuver is ensuring you have enough room to complete your landing and subsequent takeoff. After all, you don't want to turn the maneuver into a soft-field takeoff as you roll into the grass off the departure end of the runway.

But after you've run your performance calculations and you're comfortable with the amount of room you have on the runway, it's time to consider the next most important part of the maneuver: communication.

Especially if you're flying at a non-towered airport, you need to let other pilots know if you're flying a stop-and-go as early as you can. Airplanes around you need to time their pattern work and sequence themselves to the runway according to the type of landing you fly.

Take Your Time, But Not Too Much

While you should be expeditious on the runway, don't rush yourself as you reconfigure. That being said, don't spend so much time on the runway that you turn your landing into a "camp-and-go".

If you experience a problem as you're sitting on the runway or if you need more time, let other airplanes or ATC know right away. And as always, if you're not ready for your next takeoff, exit the runway, taxi back, and prepare for a full-length takeoff.

Perfect For Short Field Practice, Necessary For Night Currency

Stop-and-go landings are perfect for short field landings and takeoffs. Unlike a touch-and-go, where you never come to a complete stop, a stop-and-go will allow you to accomplish the full maneuver.

How you manage the controls and braking through a stop is one of the most important parts of short field practice, and we have more on that part of the maneuver here.

If you're getting night current, you need to come to a full stop for each landing, so this is another great opportunity to use your stop-and-go skills.

So, What Can Go Wrong?

Stop-and-go's are slower-paced than touch-and-go's, so there typically aren't as many re-configuration or loss of control incidents. However, stop-and-go's do cause go-arounds all the time. Here's what can go wrong, as detailed in this NASA ASRS report...

In cases like this, going around with an offset to the right of the runway is critical.

When's The Last Time You Practiced One?

Do you have anything more to add about stop-and-go landings? Leave us a comment below!

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