Difference between TOGA, FLEX AND DERATED Takeoff (Take-off and Climb)

There are three types of takeoff you can do. The first and second are related to
the engine’s limitations. The third is related to the aerodynamic limitation.
TOGA TAKEOFF: On the takeoff where you need maximum thrust available, you go TOGA
on the Airbus (TakeOffGoAround thrust), which gives you the maximum thrust
available - either the mechanical limit or the temperature limited one. That could
happen for example when it’s very hot at the airport, when the plane is very heavy,
when the airport is at high elevation (less air pressure)… it could also be when
there are tricky windshear conditions and your pilots elect to go max energy
available, because they want the best safety margin in case they encounter
treacherous conditions.
FLEX TAKEOFF: On the numerous times you don’t require maximum thrust available, you
can assume that the outside temperature is higher than it actually is, and put that
higher assumed temperature into the system. The engines then know you want not 100
percent of its max rated thrust (the mechanical limitation), but only for example
87 percent, based on what temperature you put in. This assumed temperature is
called by Airbus a FLEX TEMP. You are then taking off with the thrust required, but
not the maximum thrust. Max thrust in the form of TOGA still remains available if
needed, and the pilots can always go full TOGA if they need it. The main advantage
of FLEX takeoffs are that they reduce engine wear and tear and save the company
significantly in operating costs, which ultimately can reflect in your price for
the ticket. A FLEX takeoff uses the first principle I’ve written about; the engine
limitation.
(TNT teaches us here the principle of a FLEX takeoff, though for their types they
call it REDUCED THRUST takeoff. You simply assume the temperature is higher than
the outside air temperature or OAT, and the engines will throttle down as if they
have to respect that limitation to safeguard the turbine. Max Takeoff weight here
on the vertical axis could easily be switced with Thrust, in whatever force-units
you prefer.)
DERATED TAKEOFF: Sometimes you want to limit the thrust on purpose for aerodynamic
controllability reasons. Usually this type of takeoff is only used on short and/or
contaminated runways, where using TOGA could result in problems keeping the
airplane straight. Therefore, on a DERATED TAKEOFF, switching to TOGA is NOT
allowed. Pilots have to make sure they’re above the respective minimum control
speeds for it before they set TOGA if they really need it. (Now you could argue
that the odds of an engine failure are extremely low, if you really need TOGA
anyway for a windshear for example, but that’s up to the captain to decide at the
moment. In theory Airbus doesn’t allow it.) A DERATED takeoff uses the second
principle I’ve written about above: the aerodynamic limitation.
(Lose an engine just at your most critical takeoff speed V1, and you experience an
asymmetry. This asymmetry may take you at most 30 ft off the centerline of the
runway for regulatory reasons. You should be able to keep control using primary
flight controls only so you need enough airflow over the plane, which means you
need to be above a certain minimum control speed. If you want to benefit from a
lower V1 for your takeoff, you may want to lower these minimum control speeds by
lowering the thrust and doing a DERATED takeoff.)
The difference between FLEX and DERATED takeoff lay in the separate and independent
takeoff limitations. I do understand that on different types, these may be called
differently, and what Airbus calls FLEX may be called DERATE on a competing
constructor’s airplane. So I’d like to stress that I write here about the types of
my experience, Airbusses.
Some types may allow pilots to simultaneously use a derate and a flex takeoff,
though they may call it different names. The Airbus doesn’t allow that. But it’s
perfectly possible to DERATE a takeoff for aerodynamic and runway limitations,
while at the same time knowing you don’t really need all that (already derated)
thrust anyway, and FLEX a bit more by pretending the outside temperature is higher
too. In effect, runway covered in snow but with a temperature of 54 degrees
Celsius outside.
Derated climbs can always be cancelled at any time by the pilots, resuming full
climb thrust. That’s often done when Air Traffic Control request to make a certain
level at a certain waypoint or when they ask to expedite our climb for other
traffic. We simply take the derate out of the flight computer then.
As a side note, a derated climb increases the overall fuel burn (by about 200 to
300 kg on the A330 for example), since the airplane spends more time at lower
levels where it’s less efficient. Since the airline keeps on encouraging us to use
as much derated climb as possible, It can only imagine the cost savings on the
engine far offsets the costs of the extra fuel burn.