How to make takeoff safer

Takeoff is one of the most delicate phases of flight. Airbus has developed control and alert functions to make it safer.

On 31 October 2000, an aircraft was set to depart from Singapore airport. Due to a nearby typhoon, weather conditions were poor and the aircraft mistakenly engaged on a runway that was closed for construction work. On leaving the ground, the plane hit concrete barriers, excavators and other equipment on the runway and crashed.

This accident was caused in particular by poor visibility, insufficient review of the taxi route and loss of pilot situational awareness. It is only one example for accidents during this phase of flight. Other past incidents and accidents resulted from improper performance calculation or aircraft setup.

This has led to a number of product enhancements. First, a ‘TAKEOFF CONFIG TEST’ pushbutton was introduced to enable the crew to check that the aircraft configuration is correct and ready for takeoff. The test includes checking the flaps and slats, the horizontal stabiliser, and the speed brake position. An alert warns the flight crew if the aircraft is not correctly configured.

More enhancements have been added over time. Airbus introduced the Takeoff Surveillance (TOS) function on the A320 Family in 2009, and on the A330 and A340 in 2013. It is now  available on all Airbus aircraft in production.

How does it work

The TOS function double-checks the aircraft weight and takeoff speeds entered into the aircraft flight management system. It also verifies that the selected runway length is enough for a safe departure. When the flight crew applies takeoff thrust, the TOS function also checks that the aircraft is positioned on the intended runway and that the remaining runway in front of the aircraft allows it to leave the ground safely. An alert warns the flight crew if any of these checks are not correct.

On the A380 and A350,  an additional Takeoff Monitoring (TOM) function measures real time aircraft performance achieved during the takeoff roll. An alert warns the flight crew to reject the takeoff if there is a performance degradation.

Airbus’ TOS and TOM functions help the crew to check the key parameters while entering data or when starting the takeoff. In doing so, they provide an additional safety net against the risks of runway overrun or tailstrike – making takeoff a safer phase.