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oroboros commented on the word refusal speed
The go/no-go airspeed on takeoff. Above that speed, should there be any aircraft malfunction (engine-failure, say) the aircraft cannot be stopped on the remaining runway using maximum braking. So, unless the airplane is absolutely un-flyable because, say, a wing fell off, the pilot is committed to continue the takeoff and go airborne. This speed is also known as "V-one". "V-rotate" is the speed at which the aircraft will fly if the nose is pulled upward. "V-two" is the speed at which the aircraft has a safe cushion above stall speed ("V-stall") at which to climb above any known obstacles in the path of flight after takeoff (radio towers, terrain, etc.). These speeds are announced orally by the pilot-not-flying (PNF) so everybody (including the cockpit voice-recorder) knows just where they are in the sequence of rapid events occurring during the critical "cutting of the surly bonds of earth" all pilots live for, don'tcha know (except for the cynics and soreheads!)...
February 19, 2008