When should you raise the gear on a missed approach?

Raising the landing gear on a missed approach should occur once you have achieved a positive rate of climb. This is important because the indication of a positive rate means that the aircraft is gaining altitude and is no longer in immediate danger of losing lift or altitude, which is crucial when transitioning from a landing phase back into a climb. The positive rate indicates that the aircraft's performance is sufficient to safely retract the gear, thereby optimizing aerodynamic efficiency and reducing drag during climb.

This decision is rooted in safety and flight performance. Ensuring the aircraft is climbing is a key consideration before retracting the gear, as doing so prematurely could compromise the aircraft's performance in the event of an engine failure or other emergency during the critical phase of the missed approach. Additionally, standard operating procedures typically dictate that various actions, such as gear retraction, should only be performed when the aircraft is in a stable flight condition, which is confirmed by a positive rate of climb.