The FAA is now including updated guidance on the conduct of power off 180 degree landings as provided in a response from AFS-810 on July 5, 2022 in DPE recurrence training. For those that are between cycles, this information may be helpful for DPEs and providers of training regarding the conduct and evaluation of power off 180 degree landings on practical tests.

The text of the interpretation was as follows:

“Response from AFS-810: July 5th, 2022
This responds to an email inquiry provided to the Airman Testing Standards Group on June 15, 2022, and then forwarded to the Training and Certification Group. In your email inquiry you request official national guidance regarding power-off 180 degree accuracy landing and ask two specific questions.

1. If the applicant chooses to go-around on the Power-Off 180° Accuracy Approach and Landing, is that ALWAYS unsatisfactory? Answer: No. However, the intent of the evaluation is for the applicant to successfully complete the 180 degree accuracy landing on the first attempt. If the applicant were to execute a [go-around/rejected landing] without a risk mitigation justification (such as a deer on the runway or some other reason making the landing area unsafe), the applicant would normally be disqualified for that landing task.

2. If no, under what conditions (or in what situations) is a go-around allowed? Answer: Executing a go-around during training or during a practical test is necessary, if conducting the 180 degree power-off approach and landing maneuver will create an unsafe condition. During practice, the pilot gets better at judging the landing spot and how to deal with various conditions and go-arounds can and should occur during that practice. However, executing a go-around during the practical test (when not caused by issues outside of the control of the pilot) indicates the pilot does not have the skill or proficiency to complete the maneuver successfully, and should be disqualified.”

Click here for a pdf of this interpretation you can download.