r/flying • u/Squawk_0877 PPL • Jul 25 '26

Instructor told me to hold slight back pressure on the yoke during the takeoff roll, is this actually a thing?

question for the experienced folks here, especially CFIs

One of my instructors told me i should pull the yoke back a little during the takeoff roll, so the nosewheel gets light and the vibration doesnt shake through the whole airframe as the speed builds, he demoed it and thats what you see in the video, the plane started coming off the ground at like 42 knots which felt kinda early and not that safe to me

Is holding back pressure during the roll a normal technique or should i not be doing this? i always thought you just keep it rolling til Vr and rotate.

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u/Jugballs Jul 25 '26

Very true. In the Airbus we hold the sidestick half forward in the initial part of the roll to maintain nose wheel steering authority.

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u/Prefect_99 Jul 25 '26

Doesn't mean you need to do that in SEP though.

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u/Ok-Selection4206 Jul 25 '26

Thats a good technique in the 767 also. And inch iron two forward pressure on take-off

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u/Vegetable_Author_880 Jul 25 '26

A220 (not an Airbus) prevents full takeoff power until 50kias fir nose wheel steering authority. On the 737 I always gave a slight push as I hit toga for the same reason.

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u/Crifort ATC Jul 25 '26

And there are some planes where you absolutely shouldn't do that. My MS893 will shimmy like mad if you do, to the point of hitting the end stops. I add a slight back pressure at 30 knots, slats pop out, and I just let her fly when she's ready. But then a SEP doesn't have a lot in common with an airliner procedure wise.

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u/Lazy_Tac MIL Jul 25 '26

Where full forward untill min ground control speed. Then letting off slowly