Takeoff to En route Procedures
TAKEOFF.....CLIMB .....LEVEL ......CHECKPOINT
Clear Rwy ......Airspeed ..1. Dive/trim .......Time
Configuration ...Trim ........2.Level/trim .......Heading check
Rotate Vso ....Alignment ..3. Accelerate ....Gauges
Alignment .......Gauges .....4. RPM ............Radios set
Gauges ...........CLEAR ....5. Fine trim .......ATA/ETA
Turn Alt ..........Turn ..........6. Gauges ........Alternate
What if... ..Altitude

The safest takeoff requires that maximum use of the runway be made. Anything other than a smooth rapid application of throttle is relatively unsafe. Most aircraft engines and carburetors are not designed for sudden applications of power. Rotation and liftoff should occur at minimum safe operating speed (bottom of the green arc) and climb trimmed for best rate. On takeoff, it is a good practice to have the student check his runway alignment between three and four hundred feet AGL. The first time a student does this he will unknowingly pull the yoke and cause dramatic attitude and airspeed changes. Emphasize that the aircraft must be correctly trimmed and the yoke released for the runway check. If parallel runways are in use it is well to teach a 10 degree divergence from runway heading as a safety measure.

An abrupt application of throttle can cause the carburetor to 'load up' from excess fuel and effectively 'choke' the engine. This can be traumatic on takeoff and dangerous on a go-around. Too slow an application of power wastes runway. With fixed propeller aircraft all takeoffs and climbs are done at full power. Oddly enough, the reason for this is engine cooling. At full power the last fraction of throttle movement opens an additional fuel jet in the carburetor. This additional fuel is beyond the operational requirement of the engine and serves to cool the cylinders and valves when air flow cooling is reduced in climb. Full power operations also raise the octane of the fuel used. 80/87 (red) fuel has the higher octane under full power operations. Sudden power changes are to be avoided.

A pilot is expected to used the maximum allowable power for every takeoff. You are not helping the engine or safety by using less than maximum power. A reduced power takeoff requires more time, runway and engine wear. The sudden acceleration often causes a student to over apply rudder control. Rudder should be applied only to straighten the nose to parallel on the center line with no effort to center on the runway. Light rudder control is best during the takeoff. The student must anticipate the right rudder required as the nose is raised off the runway. With the runway out of sight, the runway alignment is maintained by peripheral vision on the horizon or by reference to the left side.

On a takeoff, the pilot has only a few moments to make the go-no go decision on a less than 3000' runway. Every takeoff should have a pre-planned takeoff option of aborting, or continuing at a given point on the takeoff runway. Once airborne the pilot should have pre-planned off-airport landing options up to and including 700 feet. Above 700' you may have a shot at getting back to the airport but perhaps not back to the takeoff runway. A takeoff is a matter of technique and planning. Complacency is the pilot's greatest enemy.

No climb of any duration should proceed without clearing. Climb at best rate for safety and noise abatement. At an altitude of 600' (A Contra Costa County regulation) we may turn on the course requested. No turn should be made without clearing. As a procedural habit "Clear left-turn left" should orally precede every left turn. Likewise for right turns.

Takeoffs Are Different from Landings
The actual condition of the aircraft for takeoff probably bears no relationship to the presumptions of the POH or AFM. There are entirely too many variables of surface, slope, wind, performance configuration, and pilot technique, to put into such a source. The takeoff distance on a runway is not just a matter of speed. It how soon over the distance that the speed is attained that is important. Takeoff distance is a function of speed squared. Once you have reached half the takeoff speed, you will need four times as much more distance to takeoff. A 10% increase in weight will require slightly over 20% more takeoff distance. Abort the takeoff if you can't acquire 75% of your takeoff speed before using half of the total distance.

Any wind will have a significant effect on the takeoff. A tailwind will double the takeoff distance. The same takeoff into the wind would have a 30% decrease in distance. The slope becomes significant only when it is above 5-degrees and a low powered aircraft. Expect about a 4% change in required distance for every one percent of slope. This is not very much change per degree of slope. Only 10 pounds per 1000 pounds of aircraft weight. an uphill takeoff will be easier to abort. A tail wind that increases in velocity as you climb will result in a lower slope gradient. Add at least 25% to any POH performance requirements just for the aircraft and pilot capabilities that will differ from those when new at the factory.

Takeoff Killers:
You should use a higher than normal liftoff speed in strong wind/gusty conditions because of stall probability.

1. Configuration
2. Fuel-fullest/pump/pressure
3. Trim-indexed
4. Instruments
5. Speed-abort distance
6. Seats, belts, doors, windows

An engine failure on takeoff results in a few moments of incomprehension while the pilot holds the climb attitude even though a climb does not exist. No change in control pressure is required to bring this effect. At some point the sink rate increases with an increase in angle of attack because of a lower airspeed until the critical angle brings about the stall. Only lowering the nose will break the stall. Otherwise the nose will fall in the stall. Pilot input can only increase the sink rate and airspeed. Achieving a minimum sink rate at best glide speed is the best compromise of speed for the most distance over the ground.

Second Opinion:
Vx gives you a benefit of getting over an obstacle... best climb per distance, but overall, you will gain the best altitude per time, which is the issue. Better cooling, better visibility, and you will be in a better position to set up best glide, in the event of a power plant failure. R.B. MD

Attitude
The handmaiden of airspeed is attitude. When power is a constant then airspeed is determined by attitude. Poor liftoffs and touchdowns occur not because of poor airspeed control so much as poor pitch control. A pilot sets pitch attitude by using the visual view of the actual horizon or selected horizon through the windshield. Holding a given pitch with constant power sets airspeed. There is a delay factor between setting the pitch and getting the performance. The delay depends on the excess power and thrust available.

Even though the takeoff and climb pitch attitudes are similar they are not exactly the same. On liftoff a slightly lower pitch will be used for Vy and a slightly higher pitch will be used for Vx. Just prior to touchdown the pitch will be increased slightly to accomplish a minimum airspeed touchdown.

The kind of airplane and the pilot's seat position determines the level pitch position. Where you sit and how you sit in a cockpit will affect your visual picture through the windshield. The more consistent your position the better. The higher your position the better except in high-wing aircraft where you want to be able to turn your head and see under the wing without bending forward. Tall pilots want to have at least four inches of clearance below the headliner. Even a snug seat belt will allow you to lift about four inches off the seat in severe turbulence.

A pilot who learns in a nose-wheel aircraft has a near level pitch attitude while taxiing. The pitch attitude used for both takeoff and landing is one that just covers the far end of the runway. You should set and hold that attitude just as soon as elevator authority allows. On takeoff the initial set must be relaxed as soon as authority increases. On landing, the initial set must be gradually increased as elevator authority decreases.

The simulation of these attitudes is difficult to achieve. They are approximately identical except that the pitch authority of the elevator is increasing on takeoff and decreasing on landing. One way this can be demonstrated is by use of a runway that is not active. With ATC approval, taxi to the threshold end and shut down. The instructor should get out and hold the nose of the aircraft at various nose high pitch attitudes. Have the student advise you when the nose of the airplane reaches and covers the far end of the runway. The pitch attitude will approximate the angle set by the attitude of a tail-dragger aircraft. Only consistent exposure to this attitude and pitch pressure will provide the visual picture and memory of a proper takeoff and landing attitude. Once the stationary pitch position has been attained the instructor should move the tail side to side a foot or two to give a visual picture of how rudder movement affects the nose across the horizon. Since the horizon may not be visible over the nose the peripheral vision should be used referenced to the lower outside corners of the windshield. The purpose of this exercise is to show the pilot who is offset from the center of the aircraft just how much parallax adjustment is required to center the aircraft in taxiing, on the approach and on the runway. Every transition to a new aircraft presents both the pitch and yaw problem.

A proficient pilot can:
--Set takeoff attitude on rotation
--Set both Vx, Vy and Vref for climb after takeoff
--Set clean pitch landing attitude
--Set full-flap pitch power on/off landing attitude
--Set go-around pitch attitude

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