Large nontransport category airplanes: Takeoff limitations

This regulation limits the maximum takeoff weight for large nontransport category airplanes based on the ability to stop on the remaining runway if takeoff is rejected. The airplane must be light enough to stop within the effective runway length from any point before reaching either 105% of minimum control speed or 115% of power-off stall speed (whichever is higher).

When calculating this limit, you assume full takeoff power on all engines and account for only 50% of headwinds or 150% of tailwinds. Runway gradient must be considered if it exceeds 0.5%, and standard atmospheric conditions are assumed. "Effective runway length" means the distance from your starting point to where the opposite end's obstruction clearance plane intersects the centerline.

This ensures you can safely abort takeoff during the early acceleration phase without overrunning the runway—critical for operations at shorter fields or in adverse conditions.

*This is a plain-English summary for study only. The official 14 CFR text on this page is controlling — always read the current regulation and consult a CFI.*