Plain English Meaning

The specific speeds the aircraft maker tells you to fly at during different parts of a flight, like climbing, cruising, turning sharply, or landing. Each one keeps the airplane safe and working the way it was designed to.

Full Definition

The set of specific airspeeds an aircraft is designed to be flown at for particular phases of flight or operating conditions, including speeds for takeoff, climb, cruise, maneuvering, approach, landing, and emergency situations such as best glide or never-exceed speed. These speeds are published in the aircraft's Pilot's Operating Handbook (POH) and are often denoted by V-speeds (such as VX, VY, VA, VFE, , ).