Stalling Speeds

The stall speed table is built on four masses and four bank angles, and the numbers move a long way across it. Sixty degrees of bank costs more than twenty knots — far more than the difference between an empty aeroplane and a full one.

At a glance

• Conditionsmost forward CG, power off
• 1000 kg (2205 lb), wings level, flaps UP58 KIAS / 56 KCAS
• 1000 kg, wings level, flaps T/O54 KIAS / 53 KCAS
• 1000 kg, wings level, flaps LDG55 KIAS / 52 KCAS
• 1310 kg (2888 lb), wings level, flaps UP66 KIAS / 63 KCAS
• 1310 kg, wings level, flaps T/O62 KIAS / 59 KCAS
• 1310 kg, wings level, flaps LDG60 KIAS / 58 KCAS
• 1310 kg, 60° bank, flaps UP88 KIAS / 89 KCAS

The conditions

Stalling speeds are quoted at the most forward centre of gravity with the power off, and the manual warns that the indicated airspeed may not be accurate at the stall. Both parts matter: the figures are the worst case for CG, and the instrument you would check them against is least trustworthy at exactly that moment.

Wings level, by mass

Flaps UP

• 1000 kg (2205 lb): 58 KIAS / 56 KCAS

• 1100 kg (2425 lb): 61 KIAS / 59 KCAS

• 1200 kg (2646 lb): 64 KIAS / 61 KCAS

• 1310 kg (2888 lb): 66 KIAS / 63 KCAS

Flaps T/O

• 1000 kg: 54 KIAS / 53 KCAS

• 1100 kg: 56 KIAS / 55 KCAS

• 1200 kg: 60 KIAS / 57 KCAS

• 1310 kg: 62 KIAS / 59 KCAS

Flaps LDG

• 1000 kg: 55 KIAS / 52 KCAS

• 1100 kg: 57 KIAS / 54 KCAS

• 1200 kg: 59 KIAS / 56 KCAS

• 1310 kg: 60 KIAS / 58 KCAS

At the lighter masses the landing setting stalls a knot higher than the take-off setting in indicated terms, and lower in calibrated terms; by 1200 kg the landing setting is the lower of the two on both scales. Eight knots separate the lightest and heaviest cases with flaps up.

What bank does

At 1310 kg with 60° of bank the stall speeds become 88 KIAS with flaps up, 84 KIAS with flaps T/O and 82 KIAS with flaps LDG — against 66, 62 and 60 KIAS at wings level. At 1000 kg with 45° of bank they are 64 KIAS flaps up, 63 KIAS flaps T/O and 61 KIAS flaps LDG.

Twenty-two knots is what the steepest permitted bank adds at maximum mass. Compare that with the eight knots that separate the lightest and heaviest aeroplane in level flight: how you fly the turn matters more to the stall speed than how much you loaded.

What the table covers

The table is built at exactly four flight masses — 1000 kg, 1100 kg, 1200 kg and 1310 kg — each as a block of four bank angles, 0°, 30°, 45° and 60°, against flaps UP, T/O and LDG. There is no 1280 kg block, even though 1280 kg is the maximum take-off mass without MÄM 40-662.

Check yourself

• At what centre of gravity and power setting are the stalling speeds quoted?

• What is the wings-level stalling speed at 1200 kg with flaps LDG?

• How much does 60° of bank add to the flaps-up stalling speed at 1310 kg?

• Which masses does the table actually cover, and which common mass is missing?

• Why does the manual warn about the airspeed indication at the stall?

Study aid — always fly your aircraft's current AFM/POH.