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How to Takeoff

In the video above, we’ll walk you through the steps of a Normal Takeoff.

This is the procedure for taking off when there is not much of a crosswind, and you are on a nice long, smooth, paved runway.

Normal Takeoff

Before the takeoff starts, you’ll work with your instructor to complete a before-takeoff flow or checklist to ensure the aircraft is properly configured.

At a towered airport, takeoff clearance must be requested from the tower. At a non-towered airport, pilots self-announce their intentions and listen to other pilot reports to ensure there will be no conflict.

Before taxiing onto the runway, ensure there are no airplanes about to land on the runway you are about to use!

Taxi forward and align the airplane on the runway centerline, ensuring that the nosewheel is straight.

Look all the way down the runway and smoothly apply full power.  Look towards the end of the runway to keep yourself aligned on centerline using rudder control inputs.

Glance in to check your airspeed is alive, and that your engine instruments are within their normal operating ranges, known as “in the green”.

Achieve rotation speed and apply back pressure to the yoke. Once airborne, relieve just a bit of that back pressure to allow the airspeed to build to climb speed and then maintain that speed as you once again apply more back pressure to increase the climb rate. Away you go!

Remember:

Look outside over the nose all the way down the runway.

Control your left and right direction on the ground with your feet, NOT your hands!

Hold the controls very gently in your hand, and try to use just one hand on the controls, it takes very little force to make the airplane respond to what you want it to do.