Rotation (aeronautics)

Not to be confused with Autorotation.

An Aeroflot Il-96 rotating.

In aviation, rotation refers to the action of applying back pressure to a control device, such as a yoke, side-stick or centre stick, to lift the nose wheel off the ground during the takeoff roll. Proper rotation is important for safety reasons and to decrease takeoff distance. This is when the aircraft lifts up from the runway and takes off whenever it reaches the optimal takeoff speed for a safe takeoff, which is called the V_R speed. Certain planes like Boeing 727, Boeing 767, and Concorde require a high degree of rotation during takeoff, but not all planes require a lot of rotation; if too much rotation is added for takeoff, the plane can face a tailstrike, or, in the worst cases, will stall and crash.