Definition
A V1 cut is a multi-engine training and checkride exercise in which an engine failure is simulated at — or just past — V1, the takeoff decision speed. Because V1 is the speed at and above which a takeoff must be continued rather than rejected, the correct response to a V1 cut is to keep going: hold directional control on the runway and in the air, continue to the proper climb speed, and fly out on the remaining engine. The instructor or examiner typically creates the "cut" by quickly pulling one throttle to idle.
Plain English
A V1 cut is a practice drill where the instructor suddenly kills the power on one engine at the exact point in the takeoff roll where the plane is going too fast to stop safely. The pilot has to do the right thing — stay in control, keep going, and climb away on the engine that's still running — rather than trying to stop.
Context Anchor
You'll meet this in multi-engine training and on checkrides, during takeoff practice — it's the classic "what do you do if an engine quits right now?" exercise.
Derivation
"V1" is the standard aviation code for the takeoff decision speed (the "V" is for velocity). "Cut" comes from the instructor's action of cutting — pulling back — an engine's throttle to imitate a failure. Together, a "V1 cut" is simply an engine cut performed at V1. The origin tells you this names a rehearsed failure, not a real malfunction.
Why Pilots Care
The moment around V1 is one of the least forgiving in flying: too fast to stop on the runway that's left, yet still low, heavy, and slow, with sudden one-sided thrust trying to swing the nose. Practicing the V1 cut builds the instant, correct reaction — keep straight, keep flying — so that a real engine failure at the worst possible moment is something the pilot has already lived through, not met for the first time.
Intuition Check
It feels like an engine failure should always mean "stop." With a V1 cut it's the opposite: V1 is the point past which there isn't enough runway left to stop safely, so the trained response is to continue the takeoff and fly. Before V1, you stop; at or after V1, you go.
Example Sentence 1
During training, the instructor gave him a V1 cut, and he kept the nose straight and climbed out on the working engine.
Example Sentence 2
We practiced V1 cuts again and again until reacting to the engine failure felt automatic.