Well, I am obviously going to wait to ask Chuck about this, but if it is only commercial pilots that use the term, he may not know and I will need clues. Meanwhile, I will be playing with words that might work! Fun.

I am so excited about your move!

Cynthia

Clues, yes please :)

Annette

lol, yes, Chuck might know, but one hopes not. The Gimli Glider pilots didn't say this, btw!!

Nancy.

Gimli, fyi, was a decommissioned air force base, the 1st officer had trained there, back in the day. What no one, not even air traffic controller knew was that it had been turned into a motorsport raceway. You can see the guardrail down the centre of the end of runway. That and the fact that the nose gear did not lock down saved many lives that day. In real life, there are seldom 'mulligans', resets or do-overs!!

Nancy.

Aw gee. He doesn't know. I just asked him what good he is! ;) He wondered if GA was go around, but really has no idea.

Cynthia

It's never good when pilots are left guessing, but educated guesses can save lives!!

Nancy.

I've been thinking about this since I first read it this morning and don't have much yet. Could the G stand for guess? GA = guess again? GA = God Almighty? GA = gone AWOL?

Think, think, think.

TM

Still not seeing it :( although Chuck might have the GA, it's something pilots have to do on occasion so, now, what does TO stand for....

Annette

Okay, I just thought of something on my own (yes, dangerous habit and usually wrong-ha)- how about Try once, go around?

Warm, but not there yet!! think o0f the sequence.

Nancy.

Teehee, I think I've got it, although why bother doing the first part if you only have to go around, or is landing the next step. Am I making any sense LOL.

Annette

Actually TM, your remarks are prescient!! The ATC in Winnipeg said to himself, when Air Canada 143 reported both engines dead, "Holy sh*t, I'm talking to a dead man!" To this point, no one had ever successfully landed a 'heavy', a wide-bodied aircraft with no engines. In fact, the Boeing manual had instructions for a one-engine landing, but nothing on a no-engine landing. Hmmm....no chance to "TOGA".

Nancy.

I know pilots practice using what they call touch and go, but that doesn't fit.

How about Take Off for the TO part?

TM

It is what you do in case of a failed landing!!

Nancy.

Here is a link that might be useful: Failed landing on an Airbus 321

Anyone flying TM Airways?

Nancy.

I must have forgotten to hit submit.

Take over God almighty.

Bobbie is probably right, but I would sure hope the pilot would keep on trying!

Cynthia

I think it means take off, go around but if there is no gas and no power one is not going to be able to use any power that allows for a take off or a go around.

Bobbie, this is not too funny a joke that came out of all of the hijackings, but the last thing you want to hear your pilot say is,"Allahu Akbar", loosely translated meaning God is Great - what a devote Muslim would say knowing they are about to die. But I like your definition!!

The two Air Canada pilots that day became test pilots!! I think we have it, is everyone onboard?

Nancy.

Heck yeah, I'm on board! Now, could you tell me where we are going? ;)

I am going to guess Bobbie was actually right the first time. Take Over God Almighty. Hope I never hear it if that is what it means when the plane is in trouble!

Cynthia

Seconds count in airplanes, especially when things are not going according to plan. TOGA might only save a second, but it might be a/the critical second. Take Off, Go Around. This is a failed landing, if the plane has power. As Bobbie noted, our Glider did not, so there was no 'mulligan', no do-over!! Air Canada actually programmed the parameters into their training modules and every pilot/co-pilot team that was tested crashed. These two were the ones, the ones that could do the job, and thus were at the controls that day - not to get too metaphysical about it. I have actually been on board for at least two 'failed' landings, that I am aware of....the 1st was in my 30's, in a small commuter prop plane on Christmas Eve. Something I will never forget!! We were on approach into London (Ontario) and I think it was a Convair 580 - Air Scario we called it. It was my regular commute at the holidays, and I was so accustomed to the descent to land - we were so close to the ground, though the snow did not allow me to see the ground or the lights, but we were buffeted, like the plane in the video - but we were so much smaller. They later said the cross-winds were 90 mph - that sounds high, I just don't know. I remember how thankful I was when I finally got into home, they bussed us from Toronto - that's a whole other story. The other time was at LAX , and while over more quickly, scarier now that I know more about the near-misses at LAX. Again on Air Canada, we did a TOGA on final approach. The cabin crew were incredibly professional. NO panic at all, just wanted us to see the end of the movie!! lol. My Jewish friends say if you don't take the plane, God will sent a bus!! Fate is fate.

The Gimli Glider, btw, flew out of that airport - left under it's own steam!! It just retired a couple of years ago. These modern airplanes are tough; the crews are trained to the highest standards. The only worry is that the pilots lose the hands on skills, with joy-stick flying.

So, for everyone, I believe??

Thanks for playing - fun as always!! See you next week.

Nancy.

Here is a link that might be useful: The Gimli Glider - whole story

Interesting trivia, Nancy. I had seen the airbus video sometime the past week or two which is how I knew TOGA. (I read the comments.) Very interesting write up on the Gimli. I have had no problems on any of my flights. Glad your experiences turned out fine.

Thanks for the stars.

Hope you are feeling better Bobbie! That whatever it is going around is nasty. I have logged a fair number of hours on planes, and been very fortunate. I am a fatalist, and believe we do the best with what we are given - that's what I try to do anyways, and when the bus comes, I'll take it!! (or the plane!)

Nancy