Aircraft Take Off Distance Calculator

Work out aircraft take off distance instantly with clear inputs, formula shown and shareable results.

About Aircraft Take Off Distance Calculator

Take-off ground roll grows with pressure altitude and temperature because both reduce air density, and shrinks with headwind. This applies the classic rules of thumb used on performance charts: about +7% per 1,000 ft of pressure altitude, about +1% per degree above ISA, roughly -1.3% per knot of headwind and +4.5% per knot of tailwind. The 50 ft obstacle figure uses the common 1.45x factor on ground roll.

Formula

Take-off distance

TODR = ground roll x (1 + 0.07 x PA/1000) x (1 + 0.01 x (OAT - ISA)) x wind factor

Worked example

With the default values below, Aircraft Take Off Distance Calculator returns Take-off distance required of 523.80. Change any input above and every figure here is recalculated in your browser.

Inputs used

Sea-level ground roll (ISA, no wind): 450 m
Pressure altitude: 2,000 ft
Outside air temperature: 25 °C
Headwind component: 8 kt

Results

Take-off distance required: 523.80 m
Density correction factor: 1.299 x
Wind correction factor: 0.896 x
Distance to clear 50 ft obstacle: 759.50 m

Step by step

1Values used
2Take-off distance
3Take-off distance required= 523.80 m
4Density correction factor= 1.299 x
5Wind correction factor= 0.896 x
6Distance to clear 50 ft obstacle= 759.50 m

Assumptions and limits

The result is derived only from the 4 inputs listed above. Anything not among them is not part of the calculation.
In particular, this calculator does not take inflation, tax, fees or charges or compounding frequency into account.
Figures are rounded for display to 3 decimal places, so totals built from several rounded parts can differ slightly from the unrounded arithmetic.
Aviation results are planning estimates only. Always verify take-off, landing, fuel, weight and balance figures against the certified Aircraft Flight Manual, current performance charts and applicable aviation regulations before flight.

How these calculators are built and tested is described on the Methodology page. If a figure looks wrong, please report it.

Aviation results are planning estimates only. Always verify take-off, landing, fuel, weight and balance figures against the certified Aircraft Flight Manual, current performance charts and applicable aviation regulations before flight.

Frequently Asked Questions

Why does altitude lengthen the take-off run?

Thinner air produces less thrust and less lift at a given indicated speed, so the aircraft must accelerate over more ground before reaching lift-off speed.

Is a tailwind really that bad?

Yes. A tailwind penalty per knot is roughly three times the headwind benefit per knot, which is why most take-off charts limit tailwind components to 10 knots or less.