[{"data":1,"prerenderedAt":359},["ShallowReactive",2],{"learn-\u002Flearn\u002Fv-speeds-explained":3,"learn-nav-\u002Flearn\u002Fv-speeds-explained":329},{"id":4,"title":5,"body":6,"date":267,"description":268,"draft":269,"extension":270,"faqs":271,"howTo":281,"keyTakeaways":282,"meta":287,"navigation":288,"path":289,"quiz":290,"seo":316,"series":281,"seriesOrder":281,"sources":317,"stem":326,"topic":327,"__hash__":328},"learn\u002Flearn\u002Fv-speeds-explained.md","V-speeds explained",{"type":7,"value":8,"toc":257},"minimark",[9,13,19,24,49,60,64,73,128,132,147,186,200,204,219,226,230,250,254],[10,11,12],"p",{},"Aviation runs on a small alphabet of speeds, each written with a capital V and a subscript. They look cryptic, but every one answers a practical question: how slow is too slow, how fast is too fast, when do I lift off, when can I no longer stop. Learn what the V means and which speeds are limits, and the airspeed indicator turns from a dial into a set of instructions.",[14,15,16],"blockquote",{},[10,17,18],{},"This is general educational information, not operational, legal, or regulatory advice. Rules differ by authority and change over time. Always verify against current official sources and follow your operator's approved procedures.",[20,21,23],"h2",{"id":22},"what-a-v-speed-is","What a V-speed is",[10,25,26,27,31,32,36,37,44,45,48],{},"The ",[28,29,30],"strong",{},"V"," comes from the French ",[33,34,35],"em",{},"vitesse",", speed. Each V-speed is a defined speed with a single agreed meaning, and the abbreviations are standardised in regulation, for example ",[38,39,43],"a",{"href":40,"rel":41},"https:\u002F\u002Fwww.ecfr.gov\u002Fcurrent\u002Ftitle-14\u002Fchapter-I\u002Fsubchapter-A\u002Fpart-1\u002Fsection-1.2",[42],"nofollow","14 CFR 1.2"," in the United States and the equivalent EASA certification specifications, so that the same symbol means the same thing on every aircraft. The ",[28,46,47],{},"values",", though, are particular to each type and are published in its flight manual, because a stall speed or a never-exceed speed that is right for one aircraft is wrong for another.",[10,50,51,52,55,56,59],{},"A useful split is between ",[28,53,54],{},"limits",", speeds you must not exceed, and ",[28,57,58],{},"operating speeds",", targets you aim for. Vne is a limit; Vy, the best rate of climb, is an operating speed.",[20,61,63],{"id":62},"the-airspeed-indicators-colour-code","The airspeed indicator's colour code",[10,65,66,67,72],{},"The fastest way to learn the core speeds is the colour code on a light-aircraft airspeed indicator, set out in the ",[38,68,71],{"href":69,"rel":70},"https:\u002F\u002Fwww.faa.gov\u002Fregulations_policies\u002Fhandbooks_manuals\u002Faviation\u002Fphak",[42],"FAA Pilot's Handbook",":",[74,75,76,92,106,119],"ul",{},[77,78,79,80,83,84,87,88,91],"li",{},"the ",[28,81,82],{},"white arc"," is the flap operating range, from ",[28,85,86],{},"Vs0"," (the stall speed in the landing configuration) up to ",[28,89,90],{},"Vfe"," (the maximum flap-extended speed);",[77,93,79,94,97,98,101,102,105],{},[28,95,96],{},"green arc"," is the normal operating range, from ",[28,99,100],{},"Vs1"," (the clean stall speed) up to ",[28,103,104],{},"Vno"," (the maximum structural cruising speed);",[77,107,79,108,111,112,114,115,118],{},[28,109,110],{},"yellow arc"," is a caution range, from ",[28,113,104],{}," up to ",[28,116,117],{},"Vne",", to be used only in smooth air;",[77,120,79,121,124,125,127],{},[28,122,123],{},"red line"," marks ",[28,126,117],{},", the never-exceed speed.",[20,129,131],{"id":130},"the-takeoff-and-landing-speeds","The takeoff and landing speeds",[10,133,134,135,140,141,146],{},"For larger aircraft the ",[38,136,139],{"href":137,"rel":138},"https:\u002F\u002Fwww.faa.gov\u002Fregulations_policies\u002Fhandbooks_manuals\u002Faviation\u002Fairplane_handbook",[42],"FAA Airplane Flying Handbook"," and ",[38,142,145],{"href":143,"rel":144},"https:\u002F\u002Fskybrary.aero\u002Farticles\u002Fv-speeds",[42],"SKYbrary"," add the speeds that frame a takeoff and landing:",[74,148,149,159,168,177],{},[77,150,151,154,155,158],{},[28,152,153],{},"V1",", the ",[28,156,157],{},"takeoff decision speed",": at or above it there is no longer room to stop on the runway, so the takeoff is continued even with an engine failure;",[77,160,161,154,164,167],{},[28,162,163],{},"Vr",[28,165,166],{},"rotation speed",", where the nose is raised to lift off;",[77,169,170,154,173,176],{},[28,171,172],{},"V2",[28,174,175],{},"takeoff safety speed",", the minimum speed to climb away safely with an engine failed;",[77,178,179,154,182,185],{},[28,180,181],{},"Vref",[28,183,184],{},"reference landing speed",", the target speed crossing the threshold, traditionally about 1.3 times the landing-configuration stall speed.",[10,187,188,189,154,192,195,196,199],{},"And the speed many pilots misremember: ",[28,190,191],{},"Va",[28,193,194],{},"design manoeuvring speed",", below which full deflection of a single control will not overstress the airframe. Crucially, Va is ",[28,197,198],{},"lower when the aircraft is lighter",".",[20,201,203],{"id":202},"a-worked-example","A worked example",[10,205,206,207,209,210,212,213,215,216,218],{},"Reading a light aircraft's airspeed indicator on a normal circuit: on downwind you are in the ",[28,208,96],{},", comfortably above the clean stall (the bottom of the green) and below Vno (the top of it). Turning final you select flap and slow into the ",[28,211,82],{},", staying below Vfe at the top of it so the flaps are not overspeeded, and above Vs0 at the bottom so you do not stall in the landing configuration. You would only enter the ",[28,214,110],{}," in smooth air, knowing that the ",[28,217,123],{},", Vne, must never be passed.",[10,220,221,222,225],{},"The Va point is the one to reason through. If your aircraft's Va is 99 knots at maximum weight, then flown light, with two people instead of four and less fuel, the speed at which an abrupt full control input would overstress the airframe is ",[28,223,224],{},"lower",", not higher. A lighter aircraft reaches its limiting load factor sooner, so in turbulence when light, you slow down more, not less.",[20,227,229],{"id":228},"common-pitfalls","Common pitfalls",[74,231,232,238,244],{},[77,233,234,237],{},[28,235,236],{},"Know which speeds are limits."," Vne, Vfe, Vno and Vlo are limits with consequences; treat them as walls, not suggestions.",[77,239,240,243],{},[28,241,242],{},"Va falls with weight."," The lighter you are, the lower the manoeuvring speed, the opposite of most people's intuition.",[77,245,246,249],{},[28,247,248],{},"The numbers are yours, not generic."," Every figure here is a definition; the actual speeds come from your aircraft's flight manual, so fly those.",[20,251,253],{"id":252},"in-pilot-efb","In Pilot EFB",[10,255,256],{},"Pilot EFB is a study and planning companion for exactly the kind of speed knowledge a checkride and a safe flight demand, and it sits alongside your weather, NOTAMs, flight time and logbook in one offline-first place. It does not hold your aircraft's certified V-speeds or replace the flight manual, so work your numbers from the manual and treat the app as a study aid. Pilot EFB is not a certified Electronic Flight Bag, so treat it as a study and planning aid and brief from your official source of record.",{"title":258,"searchDepth":259,"depth":259,"links":260},"",2,[261,262,263,264,265,266],{"id":22,"depth":259,"text":23},{"id":62,"depth":259,"text":63},{"id":130,"depth":259,"text":131},{"id":202,"depth":259,"text":203},{"id":228,"depth":259,"text":229},{"id":252,"depth":259,"text":253},"2026-06-22","What the V in V-speeds means, the difference between a design limit and an operating speed, and a plain-language tour of the speeds a pilot lives by, from the stall and the airspeed indicator's colour code to V1, Vr, V2, Vref and Vne.",false,"md",[272,275,278],{"q":273,"a":274},"What does the V in V-speeds stand for?","It comes from the French vitesse, meaning speed. Each V-speed is a defined speed with a specific meaning, and the standard abbreviations are listed in regulation, for example 14 CFR 1.2 in the United States, so that Vs, Va, Vno and the rest mean the same thing on every aircraft. The figures themselves come from the aircraft's flight manual, because they differ from type to type and often with weight.",{"q":276,"a":277},"What do the colours on the airspeed indicator mean?","On a light-aircraft airspeed indicator the white arc is the flap operating range, from the landing-configuration stall speed Vs0 up to the maximum flap-extended speed Vfe; the green arc is the normal operating range, from the clean stall speed Vs1 up to the maximum structural cruising speed Vno; the yellow arc is a caution range to be used only in smooth air, from Vno up to the never-exceed speed Vne; and the red line marks Vne itself.",{"q":279,"a":280},"What are V1, Vr and V2 on a takeoff?","They are the three takeoff speeds for a transport aircraft. V1 is the decision speed: at or above it you continue the takeoff even with an engine failure, because there is no longer room to stop. Vr is the rotation speed, where you raise the nose to lift off. V2 is the takeoff safety speed, the minimum speed to climb away safely if an engine has failed. They come from the flight manual for the day's weight, runway and conditions.",null,[283,284,285,286],"V-speeds are defined speeds, each with a fixed meaning set out in regulation, but the actual numbers come from the aircraft's flight manual.","The airspeed indicator's colour code shows the key limits: white arc for flaps, green for normal operation, yellow for caution in smooth air, red line at Vne.","V1, Vr and V2 are the takeoff decision, rotation and safety speeds for a transport aircraft, taken from the manual for the day's conditions.","Some V-speeds are hard limits never to be exceeded, like Vne and Vfe, while others such as Va change with weight, so know which is which.",{},true,"\u002Flearn\u002Fv-speeds-explained",[291,300,308],{"q":292,"options":293,"answer":298,"explanation":299},"On a light-aircraft airspeed indicator, what does the yellow arc represent?",[294,295,296,297],"The flap operating range","A caution range to be used only in smooth air, from Vno up to Vne","The normal operating range","Speeds below the stall",1,"The yellow arc runs from Vno, the maximum structural cruising speed, up to Vne, the never-exceed speed, and is a caution range to be used only in smooth air.",{"q":301,"options":302,"answer":298,"explanation":307},"What does V1 mean on takeoff?",[303,304,305,306],"The speed at which the wings stall","The decision speed: at or above it the takeoff is continued","The best rate of climb speed","The maximum flap speed","V1 is the takeoff decision speed; at or above it there is no longer room to stop on the runway, so the takeoff is continued even with an engine failure.",{"q":309,"options":310,"answer":298,"explanation":315},"Why does the design manoeuvring speed Va decrease as the aircraft gets lighter?",[311,312,313,314],"Because a lighter aircraft has a higher stall speed","Because a lighter aircraft accelerates to a damaging load factor at a lower speed, so the safe speed is lower","Because the engine produces less power","Va does not change with weight","At lower weight the aircraft reaches its limiting load factor at a lower speed, so the design manoeuvring speed Va is lower when light, the opposite of what many pilots assume.",{"title":5,"description":268},[318,320,322,324],{"label":319,"url":40},"14 CFR 1.2: Abbreviations and symbols",{"label":321,"url":69},"FAA Pilot's Handbook of Aeronautical Knowledge (FAA-H-8083-25C)",{"label":323,"url":137},"FAA Airplane Flying Handbook (FAA-H-8083-3C)",{"label":325,"url":143},"SKYbrary: V-speeds","learn\u002Fv-speeds-explained","Operations","XVbNTo4b7vGedFWbcg_AoP4yn3DfQuCBlwtMouLin34",{"related":330,"newer":348,"older":354,"series":281},[331,338,344],{"path":332,"title":333,"description":334,"date":267,"topic":327,"draft":269,"minutes":335,"series":336,"seriesOrder":337},"\u002Flearn\u002Fairspace-speed-limits","The 250-knot speed limit and other airspace speed rules","Why there is a 250-knot speed limit below 10,000 feet, the slower 200-knot limits near and under busy airspace, and how the FAA and EASA wordings line up and differ, with a worked descent that puts the rules in order.",4,"plan-a-vfr-cross-country",7,{"path":339,"title":340,"description":341,"date":267,"topic":327,"draft":269,"minutes":342,"series":336,"seriesOrder":343},"\u002Flearn\u002Fminimum-safe-altitudes-msa-mora-mea-moca","Minimum safe altitudes: MSA, MORA, MEA, MOCA and MEF","The family of minimum altitudes that keep you clear of terrain and obstacles, what each one guarantees, and the difference between an altitude that also promises navigation signal and a chart figure that only tells you the highest obstacle.",3,6,{"path":345,"title":346,"description":347,"date":267,"topic":327,"draft":269,"minutes":335,"series":281,"seriesOrder":281},"\u002Flearn\u002Freading-an-instrument-approach-chart","Reading an instrument approach chart","How an instrument approach chart is laid out, what the plan view, profile view, minimums box and missed approach each tell you, and how to read one in order so you brief the approach the way you will fly it.",{"path":349,"title":350,"description":351,"date":267,"topic":352,"draft":269,"minutes":342,"series":353,"seriesOrder":337},"\u002Flearn\u002Fturbulence-reporting-and-intensity","Turbulence reporting and intensity scales","What light, moderate, severe and extreme turbulence actually mean, how the intensity is judged by the aircraft's reaction rather than a guess, and how pilots report it so the aircraft behind benefits.","Weather","decode-the-weather",{"path":355,"title":356,"description":357,"date":267,"topic":352,"draft":269,"minutes":335,"series":353,"seriesOrder":358},"\u002Flearn\u002Fvolcanic-ash-and-sigmet","Volcanic ash and the SIGMET","Why volcanic ash is so dangerous to aircraft, how Volcanic Ash Advisory Centres and SIGMETs warn you about it, and why an ash SIGMET runs longer and is issued further ahead than an ordinary one.",8,1782089964081]