See typical Airbus A320 take-off speeds for V1, VR and V2, why they change, and how to calculate the correct values for each departure.
Typical Airbus A320 take-off speeds are roughly 125–150 kt for V1, 130–155 kt for VR and 135–160 kt for V2. These are indicated airspeeds, not fixed targets. In Aviation & Real-World Flying and realistic simulation, the valid figures must be calculated for the aircraft, weight, runway, configuration and conditions.
What do V1, VR and V2 mean?
V1 is the take-off decision speed, VR is the speed at which rotation begins, and V2 is the take-off safety speed used as the basis for engine-out climb performance.
| Speed | Common A320 ballpark | Meaning during take-off |
|---|---|---|
| V1 | 125–150 kt IAS | The stop-or-go decision point. In real operations, the first action needed to reject must have begun by V1; after V1, the normal response is to continue according to procedure. |
| VR | 130–155 kt IAS | Begin a smooth rotation towards the initial climb attitude. |
| V2 | 135–160 kt IAS | Take-off safety speed associated with the required climb performance after an engine failure. |
The normal order is V1 ≤ VR < V2, although V1 and VR can be equal. Only a few knots between the figures is common and does not by itself indicate faulty add-on data. Values outside these broad ranges are also possible, particularly at unusually low or high weights.
All three are indicated airspeeds shown in knots on the PFD. Do not use groundspeed from an external view, moving map or navigation display. These ranges are a plausibility check, not approved performance data, and must never be used to operate a real aircraft.
Why do A320 take-off speeds change between flights?
A320 V-speeds change because each calculation must satisfy the performance requirements for that particular aircraft and departure.
- Take-off mass: additional passengers, cargo and fuel generally increase VR and V2.
- Flap configuration: Airbus configurations such as 1+F, 2 and 3 produce different lift, drag and speed requirements.
- Runway data: available distance, an intersection departure, slope, surface condition and obstacles can alter the permitted performance solution. V1 is especially sensitive to accelerate-stop and accelerate-go considerations.
- Weather: wind, outside-air temperature and pressure altitude affect take-off distance, thrust and the resulting calculation. A headwind does not mean subtracting the wind speed from VR.
- Thrust and aircraft systems: TOGA or FLEX thrust, air-conditioning packs and engine anti-ice must match the calculation.
- Aircraft variant: A320ceo and A320neo engine options, as well as different simulator add-ons, can return different values from the same-looking flight.
One mistake we see repeatedly is copying V-speeds from a tutorial or previous flight. A runway, payload, flap or weather change can invalidate all three figures even when the route remains the same.
Where do I find the correct A320 V-speeds?
Use the output from an approved performance source in real operations or the aircraft add-on's EFB, tablet or take-off calculator in a simulator.
- Confirm the aircraft model. Select the correct A320 variant and engine type where the performance tool provides that choice.
- Finalise fuel and payload. The calculator and simulator must agree on take-off mass and loading. Recalculate after any meaningful change.
- Select the exact departure runway. Include an intersection if used, together with runway condition, slope and available distance where supported.
- Enter the operating conditions. Supply wind, temperature, pressure information, flap configuration, anti-ice, packs and the intended thrust method.
- Calculate and transfer the figures. Check V1, VR, V2, flap setting, trim and FLEX temperature against the result. Our guide to entering take-off data on the A320 MCDU/FMS explains where these values belong.
The MCDU PERF page does not necessarily calculate the speeds itself. Some simulator aircraft generate them when a line-select key is pressed, while others require figures from the EFB or a separate performance function.
After entry, cross-check that the speed cues appear in the expected order on the PFD; our explanation of the A320 PFD speed tape and flight-guidance indications covers those displays. A successful take-off configuration test does not prove the V-speeds are correct—it checks aircraft configuration, not the validity of the performance calculation.
Can I use one standard A320 take-off speed?
No single A320 take-off speed is valid for every flight, runway and weather condition.
For a basic simulator aircraft with no performance system, figures near the middle of the table—such as V1 135, VR 140 and V2 145 kt—may be a workable non-operational starting point at moderate weight on a long, dry runway. Do not use that shortcut for a short, wet, contaminated, hot-and-high, obstacle-limited or heavy departure, and never treat it as real-world performance data.
What speed should the A320 fly after lift-off?
After lift-off, follow the SRS flight-director guidance rather than trying to hold exactly V2 with manual pitch changes.
With both engines operating, Airbus SRS logic normally commands approximately V2+10 kt during the initial climb. Following an engine failure, the commanded target is around V2, subject to captured-speed limits and the aircraft's flight-guidance logic. Simulator implementations can differ.
V2 is not the flap-retraction speed. At acceleration altitude, the aircraft accelerates according to the departure profile; the F, S and Green Dot references then govern flap and slat retraction. The complete sequence is covered in our A320 take-off, rotation and clean-up procedure for Microsoft Flight Simulator.
What causes incorrect or difficult A320 take-offs in simulators?
Most bad simulator take-offs result from stale performance data, mismatched configuration or control problems rather than an unusual but valid V-speed.
- Rotating at V1: V1 is the decision speed; wait for VR before beginning rotation.
- Using groundspeed: rotate from the PFD's indicated airspeed, not a map or external-camera readout.
- Changing the load after calculation: recalculate whenever fuel, payload or take-off mass changes.
- Entering the wrong flap setting: the selected configuration must match both the performance result and MCDU entry.
- Assuming the MCDU calculated the figures: manually typed or automatically suggested values still need to agree with the EFB or performance tool.
- Pulling abruptly at VR: rotate smoothly. Yanking the sidestick increases tailstrike risk and can produce an unstable initial climb.
If the aircraft reaches VR but will not rotate normally, check elevator-axis response, duplicate control bindings, take-off trim, centre-of-gravity data and agreement between the add-on's payload manager and the simulator load. If acceleration is unusually slow, verify that the brakes and spoilers are released and the thrust levers are in the calculated FLEX/MCT or TOGA detent.