Definition
The length of runway declared available and suitable for the ground run of an aircraft taking off. TORA is one of the four declared distances published by the airport authority for each runway direction, alongside TODA (Takeoff Distance Available), ASDA (Accelerate-Stop Distance Available), and LDA (Landing Distance Available).
Plain English
The portion of the runway you are actually allowed to use for the rolling part of your takeoff — from where you start the roll to the point where the runway officially ends for takeoff purposes.
Context Anchor
You will see TORA in airport runway data, declared-distance information, and takeoff performance planning.
Derivation
A straightforward acronym: 'Takeoff Run' refers to the ground roll portion of the takeoff (wheels still on the runway), and 'Available' means the length the airport has declared usable for that purpose. The four declared distances (TORA, TODA, ASDA, LDA) come from ICAO standards adopted into FAA practice.
Why Pilots Care
It determines whether an aircraft has enough runway to reach rotation speed safely under its current weight and conditions.
Intuition Check
Do not assume TORA always means the full paved runway length. It means the runway length officially declared usable for the takeoff run.
Example Sentence 1
Before departure, the captain checked the runway's TORA against the aircraft's required takeoff run for the current weight and temperature.
Example Sentence 2
Construction shortened the TORA, so the pilot recalculated the takeoff distance required.