The Mental TOGA Button
One of the most critical phases of any flight is takeoff, and one of the worst things that can happen to a jet aircraft during takeoff is engine failure. Losing thrust at such a critical moment is startling and has a dramatic effect on the airplane. It requires an immediate, almost automatic reaction from the Pilot Flying and/or the Captain. That’s why, during training, we put a lot of emphasis on perfecting a maneuver that we in the airlines call a V1 Cut. It involves losing an engine right after V1 Decision Speed, where it’s too late to stop on the runway and you have to take the broken airplane into the air.
The underlying theory is simple and the procedure is straightforward. V1 speed is calculated before each flight for specific payload and runway conditions. When an engine fails during takeoff, our actions depend entirely on this speed:
- Prior to V1: It is possible to reject a takeoff and have enough runway left to stop the airplane safely.
- Beyond V1: That luxury is no longer available. The only option is to take the airplane into the air.
It’s a fairly simple concept, but the mental preparation that goes into it is what really makes this intense. The main issue with V1 Cuts is that takeoff is an awfully quick phase of flight – the whole thing is done within seconds. If something happens, it can startle you, and precious time can be wasted. You could go from an under-V1 state (reject is possible) to an over-V1 state (reject is no longer an option) in a matter of a few seconds. Decision has to be made quickly.
This danger is backed by data. A 2018 study commissioned by EASA found that the startle effect can significantly impair pilot performance, leading to 'inappropriate intuitive actions or hasty decision making.' The report concludes that mental preparedness is key to mitigating this risk.
To combat the risk of hesitation, I personally adopted a strategy of negative visualization. While I’m waiting for a takeoff clearance on the runway, I go through the takeoff procedure in my head and consider my actions in case one of our engines were to quit. I mentally split it into three phases:
Phase 1: Prior to “80 knots” callout
I can do a low-speed reject for almost any malfunction on the airplane without much fuss. We are slow enough that we shouldn’t overheat the brakes, so stopping is not a major issue.Phase 2: Prior to “V1” callout
I can reject for an engine failure, a fire on board, or a major malfunction that severely affects the airplane’s ability to takeoff. This is the period requiring immediate, precise judgment. My hand is still on the thrust levers up to this point, which takes the guesswork out of the equation: if my hand is on the levers, I can still reject.Phase 3: Past V1
Reject is no longer an option, and we’ll have to take the airplane into the air, dealing with the failure after climbing to safety. My hand is no longer on the levers past V1, so I know I can’t reject anymore.
Of course, none of this is new. Every pilot that goes through Part 121 training learns these steps and has to demonstrate them during recurrent training each year. But I realized that it was important for me to go through this in my head prior to each takeoff, not just once a year at the training center. My hope is that this will help me reduce the startle effect if an engine actually quits during takeoff.
It’s a challenging thing to do sometimes when we are in a hurry, which is frequent in the airline environment. Between starting the engines, accomplishing checklists, and going through briefings, it’s easy to forget to get in the proper headspace for the reject and just go through the takeoff motions mechanically. But it’s essential.
I use negative visualization often when flying to try to prepare myself for abnormal situations that could happen. It’s exhausting thinking about all the different ways my flight can go wrong and it definitely adds stress to my day-to-day, but hopefully, this will allow me to navigate the situation better if something does happen, because I’ve already visited it in my head before.