Takeoff Performance Calculator

• Base distance from the POH table (PA × temperature)
• Wind: −1.5% per kt headwind, +5% per kt tailwind
• Slope +7%/1% up; dry grass +15%

C172 at 2550 lb, field 2000 ft, QNH 1013, 20 °C, 10 kt headwind, level paved 3000 ft runway.

1. 1.Look up ground roll + 50 ft distance for PA 2000 ft × 20 °C.
2. 2.Scale for weight, then −1.5% per kt headwind (10 kt → −15%).
3. 3.Compare required distance to the 3000 ft available.

Required distance well inside 3000 ft — comfortable margin.

Takeoff distance grows with density altitude, weight, tailwind, upslope and soft surfaces. This tool reads ground roll and the distance to clear a 50 ft obstacle from the aircraft's performance table for the pressure altitude and temperature, scales for weight, then applies the standard operational corrections and compares the result to the runway available.

Always work from pressure altitude and the actual temperature, add the corrections in the POH order, and apply a safety factor (many operators use 1.25×) to the book figure. A tailwind hurts takeoff far more than the same headwind helps.