Takeoffs should be graceful, and the airplane, not the pilot, should do most of the work. But before you can make smooth, graceful takeoffs, you must understand that pitch control starts the moment the throttle is advanced for takeoff.
The first objective is to maintain a level pitch attitude during initial acceleration. Keep the elevator in the neutral (faired) position until it ?comes alive.? Once airflow is sufficient for pitch control, use the elevator to maintain a level pitch attitude. Hold the yoke too far aft and the nose will rise prematurely. Hold it too far forward and the nose will pitch down and place too much weight on the nose wheel?a dangerous situation that can cause wheelbarrowing (loss of directional control caused by the transfer of weight from the main wheels to the nose gear) and excessive wear and tear on the nose-gear assembly.
As airspeed increases, and with it elevator effectiveness, establish the cruise-climb attitude. (On airplanes with a low-mounted horizontal stabilizer, prop wash flowing over the stabilizer adds significantly to elevator effectiveness.) Using the wingtip?s imaginary chord line as a reference makes it easy. The leading edge should be slightly higher than the trailing edge. But never stare at the wingtip reference; instead look ahead for runway alignment. One quick glance out at a wingtip is sufficient.
Once you?ve confirmed the correct pitch attitude, maintain it while looking ahead and to the left of the airplane?s nose. The relative motion of the windshield framework and the nose cowl in relation to the ground shows whether or not pitch attitude is changing. Once you have learned the correct pitch attitude for a particular airplane using the wingtip method, you will be able to tell from the nose cowl whether or not you are in the correct pitch attitude without having to take your eyes off the runway.
In normal wind conditions, I establish the cruise-climb attitude as soon as possible after the elevator becomes effective. In gusty or crosswind conditions, I delay the attitude change for five to 10 seconds so that I have increased control effectiveness.
A T-tailed airplane responds differently because the elevator is above the prop wash and therefore airspeed alone determines its effectiveness. If up elevator is applied prematurely, nothing happens until the airflow increases, and then the nose pops up abruptly and excessively. The abruptness is no problem if you immediately remove half the elevator input, but if you?re not prepared for it, the sudden pitch-up can lead to a pilot-induced oscillation?the nose of the airplane rises and falls sharply as the pilot overcontrols in an attempt to counteract the pitch changes. This situation has prompted manufacturers to publish rotation speeds in airplane operating handbooks. But it?s worth remembering that rotation speed is not a haul-back-the-yoke speed. It?s a select-cruise-climb-attitude speed.
At the moment the cruise-climb attitude is established, start moving the yoke forward slowly and smoothly so that attitude is maintained as airspeed increases. The airplane gracefully lifts off the runway. Maintain that attitude for quick acceleration to VY, the best rate of climb speed. Then increase pitch attitude and maintain VY until reaching a safe altitude?the altitude where a good forced-landing option exists in the event of engine failure.
When I fly a complex airplane, I retract the landing gear once I observe a ?positive rate of climb.? I determine this by looking outside at the ground, not by looking at the vertical speed indicator. Never look inside the cockpit when you?re close to the ground unless it?s absolutely necessary.
There are airplane drivers, airplane pilots, and aviators. Most drivers and pilots can become aviators if they learn to feel the airplane, listen to the airplane, and use the proper visual reference points. The herky-jerky takeoffs that I observed at my airport do not impress experienced aviators, flight department managers, or passengers.
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