What is defined as the distance an aircraft travels down the runway to become airborne?

The distance an aircraft travels down the runway to become airborne is known as the takeoff roll. This term specifically refers to the segment of the flight during which the aircraft accelerates along the runway until it reaches the necessary speed for lift-off.

During the takeoff roll, several factors influence the length of this distance, including the weight of the aircraft, the power produced by the engines, runway conditions, and environmental factors such as wind and temperature. This distance is critical for pilots to understand and calculate in order to ensure safe takeoff procedures and to determine whether the available runway length is sufficient for the aircraft’s requirements.

In contrast, landing distance refers to the distance required for an aircraft to come to a complete stop after touchdown, not the distance it travels to become airborne. Ascend distance, while it might imply how high an aircraft climbs during the ascent, does not pertain to runway travel. The flight path describes the trajectory the aircraft follows after takeoff or during its journey, rather than the specific distance covered during the takeoff phase.