Performance JAR 25

4. INITIAL CLIMB
INITIAL CLIMB

 Introduction
 Climb segments
 Climb requirements
 Obstacle clearance
 Departure sector
 Reference zero
 Flap configuration
 Level-off height
 Flexible takeoff
 Extended second segment
 Noise abatement procedures
INTRODUCTION
To ensure obstacle clearance on initial climb with one engine out, the
takeoff path must meet some requirements. This path starts at 35 ft
and ends at least at 1500 ft, and has been divided into 4 segments.
Every segment has its own required configuration and climb gradient.
 CLIMB SEGMENTS
3rd SEGMENT
• FLAP RETRACTION ALTITUDE

1st SEGMENT • TAKE OFF THRUST SET

• TAKE OFF THRUST SET • ACCELERATION TO ENROUTE CLIMB SPEED

• TAKE OFF FLAP

MIN 1500 ft
• GEAR DOWN MAX 10’
• V2 SPEED

CLB SPEED
MIN 400 ft

2nd SEGMENT 4th SEGMENT

• TAKE OFF THRUST SET • CLEAN CONFIGURATION
• MCT
GEAR UP

• TAKE OFF FLAP

35 ft • GEAR UP • ENROUTE CLIMB SPEED

• V2 SPEED
CLIMB SEGMENTS

1st SEGMENT 2nd SEGMENT 3rd SEGMENT 4th SEGMENT

GEAR DOWN UP UP UP

FLAPS TAKEOFF TAKEOFF RETRACTING RETRACTED

THRUST TAKEOFF TAKEOFF TAKEOFF MCT

SPEED V2 V2 ACCELERATING VCLEAN

Aircraft configuration all along the takeoff path

CLIMB REQUIREMENTS
Climb requirements are different for each segment, and they depend
on the number of engines of the aircraft:

1st SEGMENT 2nd SEGMENT 3rd SEGMENT 4th SEGMENT

2 ENGINES POSITIVE 2,4 % -------- 1,2 %

3 ENGINES 0,3 % 2,7 % -------- 1,5 %

4 ENGINES 0,5 % 3,0 % -------- 1,7 %

Ground effect
considered
CLIMB REQUIREMENTS

Dash 8 with one engine out

OBSTACLE CLEARANCE
GROSS TAKEOFF PATH:
It is the actual path that the aircraft follows.

NET TAKEOFF PATH:

It is the path that results after subtracting a mandatory
gradient from the gross takeoff path.

The gradient reduction applied to obtain the net path depends on the
number of engines of the aircraft:

2 ENGINES: - 0,8 %
3 ENGINES: - 0,9 %
4 ENGINES: - 1,0 %
OBSTACLE CLEARANCE
The obstacle clearance requirements establish that the margin
between the net takeoff path and the obstacles within the departure
sector must be 35 ft.
Altitude

GROSS TAKEOFF PATH

NET TAKEOFF PATH

35 ft

Distance
OBSTACLE CLEARANCE
The prescribed reduction in climb gradient may be applied as an
equivalent reduction in acceleration along that part of the takeoff flight
path at which the airplane is accelerated in level flight.
Altitude

GROSS TAKEOFF PATH

NET TAKEOFF PATH

35 ft

Distance
OBSTACLE CLEARANCE
To avoid an obstacle, you have different possibilities:

h
p at
ss 35 ft
Gro
path
Net

TOD ASD CLIMB GRADIENT

FLAPS ↓ increases increases increases

TOW ↓ decreases decreases increases
V1 ↑ decreases increases no change
V2 ↑ increases no change increases
DEPARTURE SECTOR
The departure sector begins at the end of the TODA (or at the end of
TOD if a turn starts before the end of TODA), with a width of 300 ft on
each side of the runway. This width increases with an angle of 7,1º up
to a maximum width of:

 1000 ft (300 m) for departures under VMC

 2000 ft (600 m) for departures under IMC

7,1º

300 ft
1000 ft VMC

300 ft

2000 ft IMC
DEPARTURE SECTOR
If the departure requires a heading change of more than 15º, the width
of the departure sector increases. SIDs shall not require a turn before
reaching 150 ft AGL (2 & 3 engines) or 250 ft AGL (4 engines):

 2000 ft (600 m) for departures under VMC

 3000 ft (900 m) for departures under IMC

20
0 0f
tV
3000 ft IMC MC
DEPARTURE SECTOR
Turns within the departure sector are usually restricted to 2nd and 4th
segment. Maximum bank angle is 15º; if more bank angle is needed for
the departure, the obstacle clearance shall not be less than 50 ft.
JAR regulations (JAR-OPS 1.495) prohibit turns below the height
equivalent to half wing span or 50 ft, whichever is less.
Bank angles are also limited to 15º up to 400 ft and to 25º above 400 ft.

Half 150 ft 400 ft

wingspan AGL AGL

Turns No SID turns Bank limit Bank limit

prohibited required 15º 25º
DEPARTURE SECTOR
DEPARTURE SECTOR
REFERENCE ZERO
The point on the ground at the end of the Takeoff Distance Required
(TODR) is usually known as reference zero.

Therefore, reference zero is that point where the net path reaches the
screen height of 35 ft (15 ft for a wet runway) and the V2 speed,
assuming critical engine failure at V1.
FLAP CONFIGURATION
Depending on the distance between the obstacles and the runway,
different flap settings will be more convenient.

 For a distant obstacle, a lower flap setting will increase obstacle

clearance capability.
 For an obstacle close to the runway, a higher flap setting will
improve obstacle clearance.

º
AP5
FL

15 º
FLAP
LEVEL-OFF HEIGHT
The 3rd segment is also known as level-off height. Its minimum value is
400 ft AGL, but some airlines establish a value of 700 – 1000 ft AGL, as
well as a EFP (Engine Failure Procedure).
The level-off height will depend also on the Takeoff Thrust Time
limitation, which is usually 5 minutes with all engines operating and 10
minutes with one engine inoperative.
The Go Around thrust time limits are the same as for TO thrust.
FLEXIBLE TAKEOFF
When your actual takeoff weight is lower than the maximum takeoff
weight, you can perform a takeoff with less than the maximum takeoff
thrust, thus improving engine life and maintenance costs.

To manage this thrust reduction, we use the concept of assumed or

flexible temperature: The maximum OAT which would make the takeoff
possible with our ATOW.

The maximum allowed thrust reduction is 25%.

 FLEXIBLE TAKEOFF
Weight Thrust

Max Available Flat rated thrust

TOW thrust

EG
T lim 25%
it max
Needed
ATOW thrust

OAT Tref Flex Max OAT

Temp Tref
 FLEXIBLE TAKEOFF
ATOW = 60000 Kg / Wind calm

Use the configuration giving the highest FLEX TEMP. If both

configurations give the same FLEX TEMP, use the one giving
the lowest speeds:

CONFIG 2 : V1 – 135, VR – 135, V2 – 137

FLEX TEMP: 52 ºC

 QNH and bleed corrections may be applied to PTOW and T FLEX.

EXTENDED SECOND SEGMENT
If we extend the second segment (which is usually the most limitative),
our PTOW may be improved.
The 2nd segment may be extended indefinitely, until the maximum
takeoff thrust time limit is reached. At that moment, the 3rd segment
must be commenced with the engines set at MCT (Maximum
Continuous Thrust).
Time limit
(10 min)

m ent
s eg
e c ond
de ds
te n
Ex MCT
 NOISE ABATEMENT PROCEDURES
PROCEDURE A: Latter part noise relief method.

Accelerate smoothly to en-route climb

speed, retracting flaps on schedule.

3000 ft

Climb at V2 + 10 to 20 kt

1500 ft
Reduce to climb power / thrust

Takeoff thrust
V2 + 10 to 20 kt
 NOISE ABATEMENT PROCEDURES
PROCEDURE B: First part noise relief method.

Accelerate smoothly to en-route climb speed

3000 ft

Climb at not greater than VZF + 20 kt

Retract flaps on schedule
Reduce to climb power / thrust

1000 ft
Accelerate to VZF + 10 kt

Takeoff thrust
V2 + 10 to 20 kt