Definition
The distance from the point at which the airplane touches down on the runway to the point at which it can be brought to a stop, or exit the runway.
Plain English
How far the airplane travels along the runway from the moment the wheels first touch down until it slows to a stop or turns off.
Context Anchor
Used when discussing landings, runway length, stopping distance, and aircraft landing performance.
Derivation
"Roll" here refers to the wheels rolling along the runway after touchdown. It is not about rolling motion in the air (banking). The landing roll is simply the rolling phase of a landing.
Why Pilots Care
Determines required runway length and helps prevent runway excursions during deceleration.
Intuition Check
“Roll” does not mean banking the aircraft left or right here. In “landing roll,” it means the aircraft rolling along the runway after it has touched down.
Example Sentence 1
On a hot day at a high-elevation airport, the pilot expected a longer landing roll and chose a runway with extra margin.
Example Sentence 2
Runway length calculations always include the expected landing roll distance for the aircraft weight and conditions.