To Reject a TakeOff After V1 or Not?

Dusting off the FAA Takeoff Safety Training Aid

I teach Aircraft Performance for commercial pilots (ATPL) and the question that ALWAYS comes when we talk about V1 is:

• What if  something happens after V1 and the runway is long enough to stop on?

The simple answer is: You fly.
The catch is: What if you think the aircraft can not fly?

Thanks to a report by the Dutch Aerospace laboratory NLR this matter has new fuel in the form of statistical data and a long forgotten safety program.

NLR-TP-2010-177 REJECTING A TAKEOFF AFTER V1…WHY DOES IT (STILL) HAPPEN?

Instructors, Trainers and those in the field of takeoff safety and crew coordination should read it. Now.
The three most interesting findings from this report are:

• 1: Only 20 to 25% of all rejected takeoffs are caused by engine failure. The other 75% by something else

 

Images credit NLR-TP-2010-177

• 2: Up to 89% of the time the decision to do a high speed abort comes too late!

• 3: There is a training/awareness program from the early 90′s that adresses these issues!

The name of this awareness program is The Takeoff Safety Training Aid.
The program consists of a detailed article with the title “Pilot Guide to Takeoff Safety” and a movie: “Rejected Takeoff and the Go/No Go Decision”

Are you a commercial pilot or training to become one?

Listen to your instructor the Rent-a-Pilot:
WATCH THIS CHEESY TRAINING MOVIE

The movie looks like a VHS-style movie from the previous century. You should watch all of it. NOW. You WILL benefit and learn from it.

The full description of the Takeoff Safety Training Aid can it be found under this link.

Has the question been solved: What if there is enough runway after V1?
Well, how do you know if it is enough? And also, how do you know if the failure prohibits the aircraft from flying?
Let me discourage that decision with this video:

This video:

And this accident:
(Full description here)