Normal Operating Speeds

These are the speeds you fly a normal circuit at, and every one of them is printed under a single condition — 650 kg — with its own flap setting beside it. Quote a speed without its flap setting and you have quoted half a number.

At a glance

• V_R, rotation (flaps T/O)50 KIAS
• V_OBS, flap retraction (flaps T/O)61 KIAS
• V_X, best angle of climb (flaps 0°)64 KIAS
• V_Y, best rate of climb (flaps 0°)68 KIAS — this card quotes one figure, with no altitude condition
• Climb speed scheduled by the en-route rate-of-climb table (flaps UP)67 KIAS from sea level to 6000 ft, 68 KIAS from 8000 ft to 14000 ft
• Approach speed (flaps T/O)61 KIAS
• Final approach speed (flaps FULL)55 KIAS
• Touch down speed (flaps FULL)55 KIAS
• V_A, manoeuvring (flaps 0°)98 KIAS
• V_NE, never exceed (flaps 0°)143 KIAS
• V_Y above V_X4 knots
• Weight condition for every speed above650 kg

The speed card

All nine figures come from one table with a single data column, headed 650 kg. Read them as a set:

• Rotation, V_R — 50 KIAS, flaps T/O.

• Flap retraction, V_OBS — 61 KIAS, flaps T/O.

• Best angle of climb, V_X — 64 KIAS, flaps 0°.

• Best rate of climb, V_Y — 68 KIAS, flaps 0°. See the note below on altitude.

• Approach — 61 KIAS, flaps T/O.

• Final approach — 55 KIAS, flaps FULL.

• Touch down — 55 KIAS, flaps FULL.

• Manoeuvring, V_A — 98 KIAS, flaps 0°.

• Never exceed, V_NE — 143 KIAS, flaps 0°.

Figure: Normal operating speeds at 650 kg (redrawn).

NOTE — This card gives V_Y as a single figure — 68 KIAS at flaps 0° — with no altitude condition attached. The en-route rate-of-climb table schedules a climb speed by altitude instead, at flaps UP: 67 KIAS from sea level to 6000 ft, and 68 KIAS from 8000 ft to 14000 ft. The two differ at sea level, and each carries its own flap condition, so quote whichever the question asks for and say which table it comes from.

The pairs that repeat

• 61 KIAS appears twice — as the flap retraction speed V_OBS and as the approach speed, both at flaps T/O.

• 55 KIAS appears twice — as the final approach speed and as the touch down speed, both at flaps FULL.

• V_X and V_Y sit 4 knots apart, at 64 and 68 KIAS, both at flaps 0°.

Two figures therefore do double duty, so the nine rows on the card carry only seven distinct numbers between them.

Check yourself

• What is V_R, and at what flap setting?

• Which two speeds are both 61 KIAS, and which two are both 55 KIAS?

• How far apart are V_X and V_Y, and at what flap setting are they quoted?

• At what weight is every speed on this card printed?

• What flap setting accompanies the final approach and touch down speeds?

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