Critical phases - Take-off and landing, by CAA Norway

Michel MASSON • 13 June 2025

in community General Aviation

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Article by Thomas Hytten, CAA Norway Flight OPS inspector, originally published by the CAA Norway in May.

In 2024, there were 8 GA accidents with light aircraft in Norway. All of them during departure, landing or in the pattern.

Departure and landing are the most risk-prone phases of any flight – especially at small non-controlled airfields.

The following overview of accidents in 2024 in Norway supports this statement:

Threat and error management (TEM): Use the TEM framework to identify potential threats (e.g. crosswind, short runway, unfamiliar procedures) and pre-plan how to manage them. Discuss possible pilot errors and how they will be caught or mitigated.
Weather and aircraft performance: Check weather, wind, temperature, and aircraft performance. Calculate required take-off and climb distances based on actual conditions.
Emergency procedures: Define a clear go/no go decision point for an aborted take-off. If the aircraft is not airborne by a certain point on the runway, the take-off must be aborted.
Passenger briefing: Inform passengers about emergency procedures, seatbelt use, and expected behavior during take-off and climb.

Radio calls: Clearly announce your intentions before take-off, during climb, and departure. State your position, altitude, and intended course.
Visual monitoring: Maintain continuous lookout for other traffic, especially in and around the traffic pattern.
Be prepared to abort the take-off
Decision point: If something is not right before rotation (e.g., abnormal engine indications, unexpected traffic), abort the take-off immediately.
After rotation: In the event of engine trouble after rotation, assess available emergency landing areas straight ahead or slightly off to the side. Avoid attempting to return to the runway unless you have sufficient altitude and experience. We are all familiar with “the impossible turn.” Opinions differ, but turning back depends on several factors such as aircraft characteristics, weight, weather conditions, your skill level, and the local environment.

Terrain and obstacles: Consider terrain, obstacles, and noise-sensitive areas when planning your departure route.
Weather: Take wind, turbulence, and other conditions affecting climb and departure into account.

Airfield from above, CAA Norway

Fly the pattern with the airfield on your left at 1000 feet AGL, unless local procedures state otherwise.

Use the radio actively – especially within 10 NM of the airfield. Report position and intentions. Not all aircraft have radios, so also use lights and maintain a good visual lookout.
Be electronically conspicuous – “see and avoid” is no longer enough. With a mix of gliders, drones, paragliders, ultralights, and GA aircraft sharing uncontrolled airspace, improving situational awareness is essential to prevent mid-air collisions.

If there is other traffic on the runway, or uncertainty about altitude, configuration, or position – it is always acceptable to go around. It’s a proactive and correct decision.

Use the radio if you have one, and be clear. Always state your exact position and intentions.

Adjust your speed and flight pattern to create space for other traffic. Close calls often happen in good weather at non-controlled airfields due to poor margins. If you use electronic conspicuity, it can be a helpful tool to improve traffic awareness – but good visual scanning is always essential.
You will find the right of way described in SERA.3210. This rule is available here (SERA Easy Access).