Definition
The highest airspeed at which an aircraft may be flown with the wing flaps extended in any approved position. Exceeding this speed risks structural damage to the flaps, their attachment points, or the actuating mechanism. On the airspeed indicator, this speed is marked by the upper limit of the white arc and is designated VFE.
Plain English
The fastest you are allowed to fly while the flaps are down. Go faster than this with flaps out and you can damage the flaps or the parts that hold them on.
Context Anchor
Seen in airspeed indicator markings, aircraft handbooks, and flap-use limits during takeoff, approach, and landing.
Why Pilots Care
Exceeding this speed with flaps down can bend or break the flaps and wing structure.
Intuition Check
Do not read “maximum” as a target speed. It is a limit: stay at or below it whenever the flaps are extended, unless the aircraft handbook gives a more specific limit for a particular flap setting.
Example Sentence 1
On downwind, the pilot slowed below the maximum speed with flaps extended before selecting the first notch of flaps.
Example Sentence 2
On final approach the airspeed stayed under the maximum speed with flaps extended so the flaps could be lowered safely.