The parking brake problem on Citations and other abnormal acceleration problems leading to takeoff crashes caused me to reflect on small airplane abnormal acceleration recognition. We have a number of clues to indicate normal or abnormal acceleration. We can keep track of static RPM at best mixture for similar DA. The nose wheel should come just off with full aft elevator reasonably soon. In TW airplanes, we should be able to push elevator to bring the tail up level reasonably soon. We should be able to use elevator to bring the mains off into low ground effect at a reasonable distance and wing loading feel. Now we should be able to dynamically and proactively level the fuselage without touching back down. Acceleration should then increase rapidly. Delay of any of the above should trigger a rejected takeoff with lots of runway still ahead.

Pitching up to climb out of ground effect ends free ground effect acceleration and begins deceleration. While giving up ground effect early is sometimes necessary to just clear obstacles, pitching up before gaining as much acceleration in low ground effect as possible should be considered abnormal acceleration. In these very tight situations, lowering the nose beyond the obstacle and down drainage egress allow recovery of safe maneuvering flight airspeed.

Recognition of abnormal acceleration , thinking in terms of maximizing total energy available, and zoom reserve in airspeed should be default on every takeoff. The basic low ground effect takeoff should have C-172 size airplanes with full fuel and two pilots up and level in low ground effect in the first thousand feet. If not level in low ground effect by the big airplane touchdown zone white squares, we are likely heavy and/or at high DA or we are not accelerating normally. Here, we have plenty of runway ahead for an abort without the need to brake hard. If heavy and/or high, two considerations weigh heavily on the decision to continue: Are there obstructions and is down drainage egress possible? There is no Vx at high DA and Vy will not guarantee climb. Obstructions are rare in the high mountains or in the desert, but down drainage egress is too often not considered in takeoff fatalities.

Wind management should be applied to takeoff with windy conditions. Headwind component, including in crosswind conditions, should decrease nose wheel off or tail up distance, decrease mains off into low ground effect distance, and decrease the distance required to accelerate in low ground effect to cruise airspeed. With significant headwind component, mains should be off and we should be level in low ground effect well before the upwind white square in the angle across the runway takeoff.

Fellow pilots may talk about us crazy pilots who fly fast before climbing, or absent obstructions don't climb. There are no regulations. other than noise abatement in high density areas, dictating how soon or how steeply we must climb. Tower doesn't care when VFR. And with the extra free long term ground effect energy, short term rapid zoom climb is available. Regardless, the outcome of the maneuver is never in doubt.

One final note concerning differential braking to make static reactive correction to, not prevention of, longitudinal axis misalignment. When young and medically qualified, I tried to convert users of this awkward technique to dynamic proactive rudder movement to prevent rather than correct misalignment. Anyway, brake usage on takeoff could easily cause abnormal acceleration.

Other than altitude to get just over (airspeed to rudder turn around is sometimes safer) obstructions, energy management acceleration to maneuvering airspeed should be our primary concern on takeoff. Altitude, when high enough to recover from inadvertent stall, can then become the primary concern.

Maintenance of altitude in rough air becomes, again, a secondary concern when too low to recover from inadvertent stall. The air does not push airplanes into the ground. Rather, pilots mush in or stall and fall because of insufficient airspeed. Insufficient altitude is not the primary problem.

Outside the safeguarded instrument flying procedural track, low altitude orientation should be emphasized until takeoff and airport operations produce fewer fatalities.