What is the correct go-around procedure in a PA-44?

Question

I wanted some advice on a procedural-type question. In the PA-44 (Piper Seminole) go-around procedure, it is listed as follows:

• MIXTURES ............................................FULL RICH
• PROPELLERS ............................................ FULL INCREASE
• THROTTLES.............................................FULL OPEN
• Control Wheel...........................BACK PRESSURE TO OBTAIN POSITIVE CLIMB ATTITUDE
• FLAPS....................................................RETRACT SLOWLY
• GEAR.........................................................................UP
• COWL FLAPS........................................................... AS REQUIRED

(You can find this on any online version of the PA-44 PIM - here's an example on page 4-17.)

Now, the way I have always been taught is to go full throttle, carb heat off (not listed in PIM), flaps 40°->25° immediately, then 25°->10° at positive rate, and 10°->0° upon being above Vy, then gear up, and cowl flaps open.

I began researching the Airplane Flying Handbook and it states in the Transition to Multi-Engines section (page 12-18) that:

With sufficient airspeed, the flaps should be retracted from full to an intermediate position and the landing gear retracted when there is a positive rate of climb and no chance of runway contact. The remaining flaps should then be retracted. [Figure 12-10]

My question is this: would a better go-around procedure be full throttle, carb heat off, bring the flaps to 25°, then gear up, then continue as previously specified? This would reduce the drag the gear is giving a lot sooner, briefly take advantage of the increased lift coefficient 25° degrees of flaps gives (that is the specified flap setting for the short field take-off), and also follow the AFH procedure.

Answer 1

Any procedure listed in the AFM for your airplane takes precedence, but a general go-around technique I use (and teach my own students) is as follows

1) Add power - on complex airplanes, verify mixture rich (or for best power at high altitude airports) and propeller controls are set for maximum RPM prior to pushing the throttles to full power.

2) Apply aft elevator pressure to arrest rate of descent and bring nose level with horizon.

3) With level flight attitude, set flaps from full to approach setting.

4) continue applying aft elevator pressure and establish climb attitude

5) Once climb attitude established and continuous positive rate of climb confirmed, retract the gear.

6) At sufficient airspeed and altitude to permit safely doing so, retract the flaps.

7) Set throttles and propeller controls for maximum continuous power and pitch for selected climb airspeed. Trim aircraft to neutralize control pressures.