Stall Speed Calculator
An 1100 kg light aircraft with a 16.2 m² wing and C_L,max of 1.6 stalls at 26.0667 m/s (about 51 knots) at sea level.
Normal category light aircraft 3.8, utility 4.4, aerobatic 6.
26.0667047016573 m/s
Full answer, then cut to fewer decimals (not rounded):
- 26.0667047016573 m/s
- 26.066704701657 m/s
- 26.06670470165 m/s
- 26.0667047016 m/s
- 26.066704701 m/s
- 26.06670470 m/s
- 26.0667047 m/s
- 26.066704 m/s
- 26.06670 m/s
- 26.0667 m/s
- 26.066 m/s
- 26.06 m/s
- 26.0 m/s
- In knots
- 50.66962037 kn
- In km/h
- 93.84013693 km/h
- Wing loading W/S
- 665.883642 N/m²
- Manoeuvring speed V_A = V_s√n_max
- 50.81336199 m/s
- Stall speed in a 60° bank (n = 2)
- 36.86388732 m/s
- Typical lift-off speed ≈ 1.1 V_s
- 28.67337517 m/s
- Typical approach speed ≈ 1.3 V_s
- 33.88671611 m/s
Step-by-step solution
- V_s = √(2W ÷ (ρ S C_L,max)) = √(2 × 1100 × 9.80665 ÷ (1.225000018 × 16.2 × 1.6))
- V_s = 26.0667047 m/s = 50.66962037 kn
- In a turn at load factor n the stall speed rises to V_s√n
Stall Speed Formula
V_s = √(2W / (ρ S C_L,max))
in a turn V_s√n; manoeuvring speed V_A = V_s√n_max
Worked Example
An 1100 kg aircraft with a 16.2 m² wing and C_L,max = 1.6 at sea level:
- V_s = √(2W ÷ (ρ S C_L,max)) = √(2 × 1100 × 9.80665 ÷ (1.225000018 × 16.2 × 1.6))
- V_s = 26.0667047 m/s = 50.66962037 kn
- In a turn at load factor n the stall speed rises to V_s√n
In km/h: 93.84013693 km/h · Wing loading W/S: 665.883642 N/m² · Manoeuvring speed V_A = V_s√n_max: 50.81336199 m/s · Stall speed in a 60° bank (n = 2): 36.86388732 m/s · Typical lift-off speed ≈ 1.1 V_s: 28.67337517 m/s · Typical approach speed ≈ 1.3 V_s: 33.88671611 m/s
GATE tip
Flaps raise C_L,max (e.g. 1.4 → 2.0) and cut stall speed by √(1.4/2.0) ≈ 16 %. Questions often give both clean and flapped values.
More Airplane Performance Calculators
-
Lift Equation Calculator
L = ½ ρ V² S C_L
ρ air density, V true airspeed, S wing area, C_L lift coefficient; drag uses C_D the same way
Example: A 16.2 m² wing at 60 m/s and C_L = 0.5 at sea level: Lift L = 17860.5 N.
-
Take-off Distance Calculator
s_LO ≈ 1.44 W² / (g ρ S C_L,max T)
lift-off at 1.2 V_s; drag and rolling friction neglected (Anderson)
Example: An 1100 kg aircraft, 16.2 m², C_L,max 1.6, 3 kN thrust at sea level: Ground roll s_LO ≈ 179.381 m.
-
Turn Performance Calculator
R = V² / (g tan φ), ω = g tan φ / V
n = 1/cos φ; standard-rate turn 3°/s
Example: A 100-knot turn at 30° of bank: Turn radius R = 467.43 m.
-
Drag Polar Calculator
C_D = C_D0 + K C_L², K = 1/(πeAR)
(L/D)max = 1/(2√(C_D0 K)) at C_L = √(C_D0/K)
Example: C_D0 = 0.025, AR = 8, e = 0.8 at C_L = 0.5: Drag coefficient C_D = 0.037434.
Frequently asked questions
Why does stall speed rise in a turn?
The wing must lift n times the weight, so V_s increases with √n: by 41 % in a 60° bank where n = 2.
What is the manoeuvring speed?
The speed where the wing stalls just as it reaches the limit load factor. Below V_A full control deflection cannot overstress the structure; it is the corner of the V-n diagram.
Sources
- The International System of Units (SI), 9th edition (SI Brochure), Bureau International des Poids et Mesures .
Last reviewed: . Factors are stored exactly and computed with 50-digit decimal arithmetic. See how we verify conversion factors.
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APA
Scientific Converters. (2026, October 15). Stall Speed Calculator. Retrieved October 25, 2026, from https://scientificconverters.com/calculators/stall-speed-calculator/
IEEE
Scientific Converters, "Stall Speed Calculator," scientificconverters.com. Accessed: Oct. 25, 2026. [Online]. Available: https://scientificconverters.com/calculators/stall-speed-calculator/