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Most planes use a long runway before takeoff to gain enough speed for the plane to lift up into the air. Most airplanes can take off only if they are moving fast enough. The force of lift needs to be stronger than the force of weight. The exception to this would be vertical takeoff and landing (VTOL) aircraft. They use thrust to take off and therefore need very little runway. The runway is important for most airplanes because it gives them enough time to accelerate to the required speed to lift into the air.