Question about takeoff & runways

[JAL1628]

I apologize if this is a silly question as I've never taken a flying class and I don't own a sim..

I want to know if all aircraft types are required to begin their takeoff roll from the beginning of the runway. For example, a Cessna 172 doesn't require as much runway to become airborne as a 737... Can the Cessna begin its takeoff roll somewhere further down the runway? Or, does the Cessna also have to taxi all the way back to the beginning of the runway?

I was thinking about large airports with very long runways.

[Stockholm_flyer]

I don't think so. I've seen a number of 737's (mostly) start a bit down the runway at Arlanda.

[JAL1628]

Very interesting, thank you.

[Stockholm_flyer]

No problem.

[eugenevh]

It all depends on take off weight compared to available runway length. If at the take-off weight and environmental conditions (temperature, altitude above sea level, etc), enough runway will be available for a safe take off run as per the book, then intersection take-offs are permitted.

Naturally this takes away any additional stopping distance should an emergency occur. That said, once you reach V1 you decide "fly or abort", and at VR (which normally occurs relatively quickly after V1), you are pretty much committed to flying in any case as it would be too dangerous to stop again. I sometimes think about the Air France Concorde accident (although it wasn't an intersection take-off, I am thinking about the 'committed to fly' issue).

Another thing to keep in mind is that taxiing burns fuel which can quickly add up to huge sums of money over a year and a fleet of aircraft. So if you can shorten the taxi length to the runway and am able to take off safely within the limits set by the authorities, then you request an intersection take-off.

Same with landing. You don't need to the landing run to go to the end of the runway. If you can take an earlier taxiway exit to save money, then that can be requested. Also, provided no other plane has requested to taxi via that particular intersection, then you need to take the one after that.

[FireAngelZero]

I sometimes think about the Air France Concorde accident (although it wasn't an intersection take-off, I am thinking about the 'committed to fly' issue).

But didn't Concorde reach V1 when it hit the debris that subsequently resulted in a rupture of the fuel tank? I was a freshman in High School when the Concorde accident happened. I was relatively familiar back then but still too young to understand why and how it happened. I do agree with eugenevh, there's many different factors that play into take offs. And the length that it takes a plane to cross the entire length of the runway to take off has a lot to do with those factors...

[JAL1628]

This is all great information, exactly what I was looking for, thank you everyone.

[foundation]

also on landing some pilots will choose to intentionally land further down the runway to have less taxiing to do. Regional jets and brasilia turboprops do this all the time landing on the long runways (main landing runways) at SFO