am I the only one who would have expected to see the control column moved to the full forward position at the beginning of the takeoff roll, and held at least until aerodynamic control was sufficient to maintain solid nosegear contact with the ground?
It's been a while since I flew the 737 but our current Boeing manuals for the -300, -400 & -500 have this to say about crosswind takeoffs:
Keep the aeroplane on centreline with rudder pedal steering and rudder. Keep a light forward pressure on the control column during the initial phase of take-off roll to increase nosewheel steering effectiveness. The rudder becomes effective between 40 and 60 kt. Above 80 kt, gradually relax the forward control column pressure.
This advice seems to be fairly consistent through the current Boeing family of aircraft in that they recommend none to light forward pressure. I doubt if the other marks of 737 are radically different?
747: Maintain runway centreline using rudder pedals. The rudder starts to become effective at about 50 kts. Keep the control column slightly forward of neutral.
757: During the initial take-off roll, release the tiller, and hold the column neutral. Do not push the column forward. Keep the aircraft on the centreline with rudder pedals. The rudder becomes aerodynamically effective at about 50 kt.
777: Light forward pressure on the control column during the initial phase of takeoff roll (below approximately 80 kts) will increase nose wheel steering effectiveness. Above 80 kts relax the forward control column pressure to the neutral position.
I think some of the Airbuses require half to full
forward stick on the takeoff roll in strong crosswinds - what that actually does in terms of control movement I don't know.
In the Denver accident, things appear to have been going relatively OK below 80kts, so I'd suggest that although the elevator technique wasn't textbook, it didn't have much of a bearing on the departure from the paved surface...