Written with AI assistance and may contain mistakes. Verify against the official Transport Canada publications before relying on anything here.

Normal takeoff technique

Normal takeoff: become airborne smoothly, shortest run consistent with positive control and a good climb.

Takeoff into wind gives:

Through the roll:

Avoid brakes: they increase takeoff distance.
Control pressures build with speed. Do not chase expected pressure at each speed: overcontrol, worsened by initially sluggish response.
Never rotate before rotation speed. Look outside, not at airspeed indicator, until close to it.
Liftoff too slow: control difficulty, even stall.

Nosewheel vs tailwheel:

Phase	Nosewheel	Tailwheel
Start of roll	Ailerons and elevator neutral as power comes in	Keep tailwheel on ground: directional control from tailwheel steering
Building speed	Ease elevator back as nose wheel lightens	Lower nose to takeoff attitude only once elevator and rudder effective
Nose attitude	Raise to takeoff attitude only near rotation speed; early adds drag, delays takeoff	Ease column back at takeoff speed; do not force off early
Tracking	Point at far end of runway with rudder; wings level with aileron	-

After liftoff:

Hold climb attitude: relaxing back pressure before climb established can let aircraft settle, even onto runway.
Unless AFM says otherwise, hold full power to at least 500 ft AGL at best rate-of-climb speed. Gives:
- most altitude in least time
- margin if engine fails
- in many light aircraft, richer mixture for cooling
Vx vs Vy choice: see climb-speed-selection.

Trap: raising nose early on nosewheel aircraft feels proactive but only adds drag, delays liftoff; wait for rotation speed.

PPL Tester