Safety

ers are never an absolute, it’s best to hedge on the
side of safety. Another good rule; add 50 percent to
your numbers.
Laying the Groundwork
Many takeoff accidents are caused by simply
overlooking basic but critical aircraft functions and
configurations while still on the ground. A thorough
preflight and strict adherence to checklists
are the best tools you have to prevent complacency
from creeping in. They can also help prevent that
“taxi of shame” moment after you realize there’s
a big red REMOVE BEFORE FLIGHT flag dangling
from your left wing.
Some less obvious, but no less critical things to
check include tire pressure, trim tabs (set for takeoff?),
flaps (set as needed?), and flight controls (free
and correct?) Some people might get the free part,
but take for granted they’re correct. Make sure everything
moves the way it’s supposed to, especially if
your bird’s been in the shop recently. A good opportunity
to double check this is when you’re holding
flight control corrections for wind on taxi. Barreling
down the runway at full speed is the very last place
you’ll want to discover that your elevator is rigged in
reverse or that a control lock is still in place.
The Impossible Turn
It would be hard to talk about takeoff risks
without mentioning the dreaded engine failure on
takeoff. Seconds matter, so you should always be
mentally prepared for what to do in this situation.
Otherwise, a poor decision, or no decision at all, will
likely result in tragedy.
A good plan for handling a loss of power on
climb-out should always involve maintaining control
and flying the aircraft first. At climb pitch attitude
with no power you’ll be close to a stall, so lowering
the nose (reducing angle of attack) is imperative.
Some pilots will instinctively react by turning back
towards the safety of the runway they just departed.
This aggressive maneuver may require more altitude
and airspeed than you can spare, not to mention
the danger of conflicting traffic. Circumstances will
vary, but the general recommendation is to establish
a controlled glide toward the safe landing spot
you hopefully have already scoped out during your
preflight prep. Knowing — and quickly establishing
— your best glide speed will go a long way toward
ensuring you are able to maximize your choices for a
place to set down safely.
Boiled down to the basics, takeoffs are not
generally a difficult maneuver. But without the right
planning and preparation, it’s the phase of flight
than can be least forgiving if something goes awry. If
something doesn’t look or feel right to you, stop and
give yourself more time to review your situation. As
the saying goes, takeoffs are optional, but landings
are mandatory.
Tom Hoffmann is the managing editor of FAA Safety Briefing. He is a commercial
pilot and holds an A&P certificate.
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