The weight of an aircraft during ground roll refers to the force exerted by its mass on the runway surface before takeoff. This weight directly influences the rolling friction, or resistance between the aircraft’s wheels and the runway, impacting the acceleration during takeoff. The heavier the aircraft, the greater the force required to overcome rolling friction, affecting the overall ground roll distance. Accurate consideration of weight during ground roll is essential in assessing an aircraft’s takeoff performance and ensuring safe liftoff within available runway length. The formula to calculate Weight during ground roll as follows:
Where:
- W is the Aircraft Weight in N
- R is the Rolling Resistance (Force of friction) in N
- L is the lift force in N.