Definition
A specific airspeed value of 200 knots as shown directly on the aircraft's airspeed indicator, without correction for instrument or position errors. In instrument procedures, 200 KIAS is a regulatory speed limit applied in certain airspace and segments — most notably the maximum airspeed permitted when operating in Class B airspace beneath the lateral limits of the Class B (or in a VFR corridor through it), and the maximum speed for aircraft operating at or below 2,500 feet AGL within 4 nautical miles of the primary airport of a Class C or Class D surface area.
Plain English
200 knots, read straight off the airspeed indicator. It's a speed limit you must not exceed in certain airspace situations.
Context Anchor
Seen in instrument procedure discussions, speed limits, aircraft operating limits, and air traffic control instructions where the required speed is based on what the cockpit airspeed indicator shows.
Derivation
The '200' is the numeric speed. 'KIAS' breaks down as K (knots, a unit of speed equal to one nautical mile per hour), I (indicated, meaning what the instrument shows), AS (airspeed). 'Indicated' is the key word — it points to the raw needle reading on the airspeed indicator, before any correction for installation error or non-standard atmospheric conditions.
Why Pilots Care
Many departure, approach, and limitation speeds are expressed in KIAS for direct cockpit reference.
Grounding Statement
If the airspeed needle or display says 200 knots, the aircraft is at 200 KIAS, even if its actual speed through the air or over the ground is different.
Intuition Check
Do not read 200 KIAS as the aircraft’s exact speed over the ground. It means 200 knots as indicated on the cockpit airspeed instrument.
Example Sentence 1
Approaching the Class C surface area at 2,000 feet AGL, the pilot reduced power to keep the airspeed at or below 200 KIAS.
Example Sentence 2
The procedure requires slowing to 200 KIAS before the final approach fix.