Aircraft - over-rotation?

Question

What, exactly, is meant by the term "over-rotation" in a jet airliner?

Is it simply running the engines too fast, I'm unsure.

Thanks.

Answer 1

I think it means climbing away from the runway at take off at too steep an angle which can result in a stall.

Answer 2

'Rotation' is when you pull the nose up on takeoff to start the climb from the runway.

If you pull back too steeply, too suddenly, or before the aircraft reaches its proper speed, the tail can strike the runway and cause damage.  This is called 'over-rotation'.

Airliners are tested during certification for over rotation.  The pilot deliberately tries to drag the tail on the runway at lower and lower speeds until it scrapes (on a special skid).  This lowest speed where the tail didn't scrape the ground is called the 'minimum unstick speed' (Vmu) and is the lowest speed the pilots are allowed to rotate.

Answer 3

Theres a retractable tail skid on our 727 to protect the center engine exhaust nozzle and reverser during an overrotation during takeoff.

Answer 4

over rotation means that the pilot pulled back too much on the stick to takeoff and the tail scraped the ground before the airplane actually lifted off the runway, causing damage to the tail. Airplanes are purposely overrotated during certification and testing to find the minimum speed that an airliner can takeoff at.

Answer 5

certain airplane types have such a tendency to strike the tail during takeoff, that the manufacturers have installed a skid on the portion that would strike. The B767 is an example. And the 727, as the previous poster mentioned.