Rotate

Rotate (or rotation speed V_R) is the speed at which the pilot applies back pressure to raise the nose of the aircraft during the take-off roll, initiating the transition from ground roll to flight. V_R is published in the POH and is the reference speed for initiating lift-off.

V_R in Practice

At V_R, the pilot applies smooth back pressure to raise the nose to the take-off attitude (typically 10–15° pitch-up for light aircraft). The aircraft will fly off the runway as it accelerates through lift-off speed (V_LOF) after rotation. Rotating too early may prevent the aircraft from accelerating to climb speed; rotating too late wastes runway.

Multi-Engine Considerations

On transport category aircraft, V_R is calculated to ensure the aircraft can safely rotate, lift off, and climb after an engine failure at V₁. The speed must be above V_MCG (minimum control speed, ground) and below the speed at which the aircraft would float beyond the runway.

Related Terms

See also: V_X, V_Y, Balanced Field Length.