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Rejected Takeoff Training: Criteria, Callouts and Sim Practice
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Rejected Takeoff Training: Criteria, Callouts and Sim Practice

October 28, 2026

Rejected Takeoff Training: Criteria, Callouts and Sim Practice

Pilots practicing a rejected takeoff in simulator

Rejected takeoff (RTO) training teaches a crew to decide, in a second or two, whether to stop on the runway or fly, and then to execute that decision cleanly. It covers the speed boundaries that shape the decision, the captain’s and the pilot monitoring’s roles, the callouts, and the stop itself. The only place to rehearse it at full intensity is a full-motion simulator, because a real high-speed reject is rare, risky and not something anyone should practice in an airplane.

This guide covers what a rejected takeoff is, how the decision criteria work, how low-speed and high-speed rejects differ, what the crew does, how the best sim sessions are built, and what happens after the aircraft stops.

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TL;DR

  • A rejected takeoff is a maneuver started during the takeoff roll to stop the airplane on the runway, and the captain owns the decision.
  • Many operators use a low-speed/high-speed boundary: 80 knots for Boeing, 100 knots for Airbus. Above it, rejecting generally takes exceptional circumstances, and after V1 the takeoff should usually continue.
  • Late rejects can end in a runway overrun, so the training goal is a fast, correct decision, not a reflex to stop.
  • Good sim practice varies the fault, switches who is flying, and ends with a debrief on the decision, the handover and the aircraft control.
  • Your own operator’s manuals govern the actual numbers and callouts. Use this guide as a framework, not a replacement.

Table of Contents

What a rejected takeoff is

An RTO is a maneuver initiated during the takeoff roll to stop the airplane on the runway as quickly as is safe. The triggers are usually a suspected or real aircraft problem: an engine failure, a fire warning, a tire failure, a configuration warning, a blocked runway. The same event can feel completely different at 40 knots and at 130 knots, which is why the training is built around speed.

The reference point is V1. It is the maximum takeoff speed at which the pilot must take the first action to stop within the accelerate-stop distance. In plain terms, the decision to reject must be made before V1, and the first stopping action must be underway by that speed. Past V1 the stopping distance you calculated no longer protects you.

For a newly licensed pilot heading to an airline, this matters twice. It is a standard item in type rating and recurrent checks, and it is a classic scenario in airline simulator assessments, where the examiner watches how you handle a sudden event at the worst moment.

The decision criteria: speed bands and cues

The decision is easier when you have already decided in advance what you would stop for. That is the logic behind speed bands.

Low speed versus high speed

The Honourable Company of Air Pilots describes the boundary as 80 knots for Boeing and 100 knots for Airbus. Below it, the crew is in the low-speed regime and will reject for a wider range of problems. Above it, restrictions apply and high-speed rejects generally require exceptional circumstances.

The same source notes that low-speed RTOs are usually less challenging, while high-speed rejects carry greater risk. After V1, the takeoff should usually continue unless the aircraft is assessed as unfit to fly. Behind the Airbus figure is a practical idea: the 100-knot speed was chosen to help the captain make the decision and to avoid unnecessary high-speed RTOs.

Phase of the roll Typical mindset What the crew expects
Start of roll to the low-speed limit Broad willingness to stop Most abnormalities justify a reject
Low-speed limit to just below V1 Restricted Reject only for serious events that make the airplane unsafe or unable to fly
V1 and beyond Continue Fly, unless the aircraft is judged unfit to fly

The table is a general model. Your operator’s manual defines the exact list of events for each band on your type, and those lists differ between manufacturers and companies.

Why “reject everything” is not safe

Stopping is not the safe default at high speed. A high-speed reject uses a large part of the available runway, loads the brakes and tires, and puts the crew in a rapidly evolving situation with passengers aboard. Late initiation of a reject can lead to a runway overrun. The same document family treats decision making as a skill that needs to be trained, not left to instinct.

The Air Pilots note also records the opposite problem: takeoffs that should have been rejected are sometimes continued, and aircraft control during rejects is not always well managed. Training has to cover both failures: the wrong decision, and the right decision badly executed.

Performance data matters before the roll

The decision starts in the cockpit before the brakes are released. The same briefing note observes that two pilots can make the same performance data calculation error even when they calculate independently. If the takeoff data is wrong, V1 and the accelerate-stop distance no longer mean what the crew believes. That is why good crews cross-check inputs, runway, weight and flap setting, and why sim scenarios sometimes begin with a subtle data error rather than a bang.

Crew roles and callouts

The decision to reject belongs to the captain and must be made before V1. That holds regardless of who is flying the leg. The pilot monitoring (PM) has a different but equally important job: to monitor the essential instruments and immediately announce any abnormality.

A clean sequence in the sim usually looks like this, adapted to your type’s standard operating procedures:

  1. The PM calls the abnormality clearly and early, using the standard wording of the operator, not a description or a guess.
  2. The captain decides and announces the decision with the standard call, so there is no ambiguity about who is doing what.
  3. The captain takes or confirms control if the first officer was flying, and the handover is stated aloud.
  4. The stopping actions are performed in the sequence the manual specifies for the aircraft.
  5. The PM tells ATC and handles the first communications while the captain controls the airplane on the runway.
  6. The crew secures the situation, assesses whether an evacuation is needed, and manages the cabin.

The exact words and the order of the actions are type-specific. We do not publish a universal callout list, because a callout that is right on one operator’s A320 can be wrong on another operator’s 737.

What good rejected takeoff training looks like

Regulators agree that the sim is the right tool. EASA’s recurrent proficiency check rules say that a rejected takeoff should be performed as pilot flying when an aircraft-specific simulator is available, and that only touch drills are acceptable when it is not. That is a clear signal about where the practice belongs.

Vary the fault

If every RTO in training is an engine failure at 80 knots, pilots learn the script and not the decision. Transport Canada’s evaluator bulletin recommends introducing more than one type of fault that initiates an RTO in scripted pilot proficiency checks. Useful variations include:

  • An engine failure or fire warning in different speed bands
  • A tire failure or a loud bang with no clear indication
  • A configuration warning on the roll
  • A crosswind or contaminated runway that changes the control picture
  • An event that falls right at the boundary, where the right answer is to continue

That last one is the most valuable. A pilot who has only ever been rewarded for stopping will want to stop at 130 knots. A scenario that rewards continuing, and then asks for the debrief, breaks that habit.

Switch who is flying

The same Transport Canada bulletin says that, where applicable, the RTO should occur on the second-in-command’s pilot-flying leg on occasion to evaluate the handover of control. This is where many real crews are weakest: the captain decides, takes the controls, and the first officer must release them without hesitation or conflict. Practicing it in both seat configurations is the only way to find out whether it works.

Use realistic simulation, and think about how scenarios are built

A Level D full-motion simulator gives the cues that drive the real decision: the acceleration, the noise, the vibration of a tire failure, the deceleration under braking. These are the cues you cannot get from a procedures trainer. For teams designing their own drills, tools that build decision-centered simulations help instructors structure scenarios around the decision a pilot must make, not just the failure the pilot must recognize.

A debrief that earns its time

The debrief is where the learning sticks. A useful one covers:

  • The cue. What did you see, hear or feel, and when? Was it the first cue?
  • The speed band. Was the decision correct for the speed at which it was made?
  • The call. Did the PM announce it with the standard words, early enough?
  • The handover. Who had control at each moment, and was it stated?
  • The stop. Was aircraft control managed, and were the actions in the right order?
  • After the stop. What did the crew do about ATC, the cabin, the fire services and the decision to evacuate?

Play the scenario back if the simulator allows it. Pilots rarely remember their own timing accurately.

After the stop: records and reporting

A high-speed reject does not end when the airplane is stationary. The Air Pilots briefing says that high-speed rejected takeoffs should be recorded in the aircraft technical log, so an engineering assessment can resolve any findings before the aircraft returns to service. Brakes, wheels and tires are the obvious items, but the point is that the crew does not decide alone that the airplane is fit.

Reporting rules depend on the jurisdiction, and a pilot who changes country or regulator needs to know the local rule. A few examples:

For US operators, follow your company’s reporting procedures and the guidance of your regulator and safety department. Tell your instructor which regulator you operate under so the debrief can include the right reporting step.

Our perspective on RTO training

We see rejected takeoffs as a decision-making exercise that happens to involve a lot of braking. Most pilots who arrive for type rating or assessment preparation can recite the V1 definition. What separates a strong candidate is the first two seconds: noticing, calling and deciding without freezing or over-reacting.

Our perspective on RTO training — overview diagram

That is why we favor repetition with variation over a single well-rehearsed engine failure. Our sessions run on Level D full-motion simulators with instructors who are current and former airline pilots and examiners, and we use that background to push candidates the way an airline assessor will: unexpected timing, a different seat, a scenario that tempts you to stop when you should go. Where it fits, we pair RTOs with the broader raw-data and assessment work described in our raw data simulator assessment plan, because a reject is much harder when your scan is already weak.

We also ask candidates to bring their own operator’s procedures when they have them, or to tell us which they are preparing for. Callouts, speed bands and stopping actions differ by operator and type, and training on the wrong ones is worse than no training. Our job is to make the decision and the handover reflexive, then let the manual fill in the details.

— Jake

Practicing RTOs with us

If you are preparing for an airline assessment, a type rating or a recurrent check, you can book full-motion sessions focused on the events you need. We run Boeing 737 simulator training and A320 simulator training, and the wider simulator training range covers A330, ATR 42/72 and 757/767. If you need a full qualification, see our type rating programs, or start with admissions and tell us what you are preparing for. Pricing is not published on the site, so ask when you apply.

If your goal is the airline interview itself, our guide on mapping drills to ICAO competencies shows how events like an RTO are assessed.

How to prepare before your session

A few habits make a sim RTO session far more productive:

  1. Review your speed bands and event list for the type and operator before you arrive.
  2. Brief the reject in the cockpit every time, out loud, as you would on the line: who calls, who decides, who handles ATC.
  3. Practice both seats. Ask to fly the leg as the first officer and have the captain reject.
  4. Ask for a boundary case. Request an event that should be continued, so you test the discipline, not only the reflex.
  5. Debrief with specifics. Write down the speed, the cue, the call, and the time between them.
  6. Repeat after a gap. Skills fade, so book a refresher before a check or interview, not on the day.

Frequently asked questions

What is considered a rejected takeoff?

It is any maneuver started during the takeoff roll to stop the airplane on the runway. It can be triggered by a failure, a warning, a runway incursion or any other concern. Some regulators, such as the UK CAA, require reporting of all rejected takeoff occurrences.

Who decides to reject a takeoff?

The captain. The decision has to be made before V1, and the pilot monitoring’s job is to watch the instruments and announce abnormalities immediately. If the first officer is flying, the captain takes control for the stop, and the handover should be explicit.

Is it safer to always stop if something goes wrong?

No. Low-speed rejects are usually less challenging, but high-speed rejects carry greater risk, and after V1 the takeoff should usually continue unless the aircraft is unfit to fly. The speed band boundary, 80 knots for Boeing and 100 knots for Airbus in the Air Pilots guidance, exists to help the crew avoid unnecessary high-speed stops.

How often should pilots practice RTOs?

At least as often as your operator’s recurrent and proficiency checks require, and ideally with variation. EASA’s proficiency check rules call for a rejected takeoff as pilot flying when an aircraft-specific simulator is available. Many pilots add a session before an airline assessment or type rating.

Sources

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