Originally Posted by
tommyleo
Why would you want to minimize the aircraft speed at liftoff?
Minimize ground speed. Also it is safer that way, as the aircraft doesn't have to travel as fast or as far to achieve the proper airspeed required to take off (lift off

), known to pilots as VR ("rotate.") For example, if the aircraft is just sitting at the runway with a 10 mph direct headwind, the air speed will register at 10mph. So if the requirement for rotate is 150mph in terms of air speed, only 140 mph ground speed is required for the aircraft to leave the ground.
Note this works vice-versa, which could be dangerous! The aircraft would require a faster ground speed and in turn take more distance required to achieve the rotation speed. Lift is killed that way.