Take off on a plane

[lovejoy0120]

When ready to take off why do pilots say "rotate" instead of pull up or take off ? Its hardly like they're going to turn through 360 deg.

[Quizmonster]

'Rotate' here just means 'turn'...not necessarily through 360 degrees. The word refers to the fact that the aircraft must begin to 'rotate' around its pitch axis in order to lift the nose off the ground.

[SteveD]

http://www.theanswerbank.co.uk/How-it-Works/Qu estion267680.html