weight and prevailing condition.
Increase that distance for wet runways
or slippery conditions, add a healthy
safety margin to allow for reaction time
and other unknowns, and then subtract
this from the runway length to determine a safe abort point. The abort point
should never be more than halfway down
the runway.
During the initial part of the takeoff
roll, verify that the engine is developing
full power and that other aircraft systems
are functioning properly. Not every prob-
lem is a cause to abort the takeoff, but an
out-of-range reading might warrant a
prompt return and landing. I’ve seen
pilots who don’t even look at their air-
speed indicator during the takeoff, and
just rotate when it feels right. Monitoring
airspeed on the takeoff roll is crucial, but
you should recognize that an indicated
problem is not always a real one. A low
airspeed indication could be due to a
pitot-static system malfunction.
gear as well. If we lose power shortly after
liftoff, having that landing gear in the down-and-locked position could save the aircraft.
In a single-engine aircraft, retract the landing gear only when it is certain it can be
Not every problem is a cause to abort the takeoff, but an out-of-range
reading might warrant a prompt return and landing.
AFTER ROTATION—GEAR AND SPEED
After rotation, avoid the temptation to just
pull up the gear and point the nose for the
heavens. Instead, make a conscious choice
of when to raise the gear and what climb
angle and airspeed to use. Obviously, we
want to have a positive climb rate before
raising the landing gear, but consider the
time it takes to lower and lock the landing
fully extended for an emergency.
