Originally Posted by
Lomapaseo
Had a new one today with a wet runway. The B737 ahead of us started its takeoff roll as we took the turn to the holding area. We never stopped more than a few secs before turning onto the active runway in a rolling takeoff. As we were just finishing the turn while accelerating I looked down the runway and the B737 was still throwing up rain water probably between V1 and lift off. I judged if the first plane was to abort and remain on the ground we would overfly it. This concerned me somewhat even thou it turned out to be nothing. I suspect that the judgement was either by the ATC clearance or a misunderstanding by our crew.
Well you should watch some videos of military aircraft doing minimum interval takeoffs (as close as 12 seconds apart).
But I doubt this was unsafe. Your crew may well have been anticipating getting clearance as I’ve had flights where we turned onto the runway and continued to roll (not come to a complete stop) before the throttles were fully advanced to takeoff thrust. While the crew on your flight may well have advanced the throttles somewhat as they were turning on to the runway they likely (almost certainly) didn’t apply takeoff thrust until getting clearance from ATC to takeoff. You may well have heard the engines spool up but not necessarily to takeoff thrust. Applying takeoff thrust is a two step process in which first the throttle is advanced slightly before takeoff thrust is set to reduce any impacts of potential asymmetric thrust if the engines don’t spool up simultaneously, even when all throttle levers are advanced at the same time.
This article from Airbus explains the two step process of advancing the throttle for takeoff and why its a two-step profess.
https://safetyfirst.airbus.com/engin...ng-at-takeoff/