Definition
The phases of flight during which the airplane is moving along the runway on its wheels — accelerating from a stop to liftoff speed during takeoff, and decelerating from touchdown to a stop (or taxi speed) during landing. During these phases the airplane is transitioning between ground and flight, with weight supported partly by the wheels and partly by developing or decaying aerodynamic lift.
Plain English
The parts of takeoff and landing where the airplane is rolling along the runway — speeding up before lifting off, and slowing down after touching down.
Context Anchor
Seen in discussions of runway length, aircraft performance, and how speed and airplane control affect getting airborne or stopping safely.
Derivation
‘Roll’ here comes from the everyday sense of wheels rolling on a surface. It refers to the airplane physically rolling along the runway, distinguishing this phase from the airborne portions of takeoff and landing.
Why Pilots Care
These distances directly determine the runway length required for safe operations and influence weight, wind, temperature, and runway condition decisions.
Intuition Check
Do not read “rolls” here as the airplane tipping or banking left or right. Here, “rolls” means the ground run on the wheels during takeoff and after touchdown.
Example Sentence 1
During the takeoff roll, the pilot held slight back pressure to lift the nosewheel at the correct speed.
Example Sentence 2
A strong headwind shortened the landing roll, allowing the airplane to exit the runway at the first taxiway.