Tõstekiirus

Tõstekiirus is the Estonian term for lift rate or vertical acceleration. It describes how quickly an object increases altitude or height over time, typically measured in meters per second or feet per minute. The concept is used in several fields such as aviation, rocketry, and sports physiology, where the speed at which an object or person ascends is a key performance indicator.

In aviation, a aircraft’s or helicopter’s “tõstekiirus” quantifies its ability to climb from the ground or lower altitude to a higher flight level. Pilots and designers rely on accurate lift rate data to assess take‑off performance, emergency climb capability and the efficiency of engine or propeller systems. Regulatory agencies publish climb performance specifications that must be met for certification, and flight crews use the rates repeatedly in checklists and during pilot training.

The term also appears in rocketry in the context of launch vehicles. Early ascent stages generate high lift rates that are crucial for achieving orbital insertion. Engineers inspect lift‑rate telemetry to verify thrust performance, thrust vector alignment and to detect issues such as stage separation failures or thrust asymmetries.

Sports scientists examine lift rates when measuring vertical jump performance of athletes. The lift rate, or jump velocity, is correlated with muscular power and is a common metric in training programmes for basketball, volleyball and track and field events.

Mathematically, lift rate is expressed as the first derivative of altitude with respect to time. While a simple kinematic measure, it carries a wide array of practical applications. In all disciplines that involve vertical movement the value of the lift rate is combined with aerodynamics, mass distribution and environmental factors to understand performance limits and safety margins.