This is good advice. I had to remember this technique when learning to hover a helicopter and again when learning to land a 747. Different airplanes but same technique. Look to the far end of the runway and use your peripheral vision.
Remember if your heels are not touching the floor then you are definitely doing it wrong. This is a very common error.
Also: RTO=Rejected Take Off.
krellis wrote:Everyone has their opinions and techniques and I'll add to the discussion. I have not heard this mentioned in any of the answers, but a CFI back when I was learning to fly told me one common mistake made during takeoff roll is looking directly off the nose (too close in). He suggested picking an object (like a tree) at the far end of the runway and using that as your reference point to help keep the nose pointed straight down the runway. Seems to work in the DA-40 for me and I use it also in the 737. I think the idea is that small deviations from centerline are noticed quicker and you can respond with equally small corrections sooner - which lessens the chance at PIO. Don't know if this will help at all, but it might.
I too, agree, that the rudder is powerful enough fairly quickly in the take off roll that you shouldn't require any differential braking. I keep my heels on the floor also, but you need to be able to immediately apply brakes in the event of an RTO.
Gasser wrote:Speaking of larger, I've wondered if mine is the small or large rudder. Can I tell by serial number or tape measure. Just curious.
Jeff
If it is 40.363 or high it should have the larger rudder based on the optional service bulletin OSB 40-066 that lists ser. no. 40.010 through 40.362 as eligible for the larger rudder retrofit. http://www.diamond-air.at/fileadmin/upl ... rudder.pdf
