KEYNOMEN AVIATION

About Certificates Pricing Log In

Keynomen Aviation

Home
About
Certificates
Pricing
Log In
Start Free

About Contact Pricing CFI Program Methodology

Terms of Service Privacy Policy Disclaimer

Keynomen Aviation is a study and reference tool, not flight training. Always check your POH, current FAA regulations, and with your flight instructor.

© 2026 Keynomen Aviation. All rights reserved.

retarding force — Aviation Definition | Keynomen Aviation

Words for: Performance & Limitations

← Back to Performance & Limitations

69 words in this area · Next word: Crosswinds →

Sign up free to keep track of the words you’ve cleared.

retarding force

Plain English Meaning

A force that pushes against the airplane's motion and slows it down. On landing, this is the combined slowing effect of air drag, tire friction, and the brakes.

Full Definition

Any force acting opposite to the direction of motion that slows an aircraft down. During landing, retarding forces include aerodynamic drag, rolling friction between the tires and runway, and braking friction from the wheel brakes.

Context Anchor

Seen in landing performance discussions, especially when estimating landing roll and stopping distance after touchdown.

retarding force

Derivation

From the Latin retardare, meaning 'to slow down' or 'to hinder.' A retarding force is literally a force that holds the aircraft back from continuing forward.

Why Pilots Care

Retarding forces directly determine how much runway is required to stop safely and affect decisions about landing distance available.

Analogy

It is like squeezing the brakes on a bicycle: the bicycle is still moving forward, but the braking force acts against that motion and slows it down.

Grounding Statement

After touchdown, the airplane keeps rolling until the forces slowing it are large enough and act long enough to bring it to a stop.

Intuition Check

Do not read “retarding” as simply “delaying.” Here it means “slowing the airplane by acting against its motion.”

Example Sentence 1

On a wet runway, the retarding force from the brakes is reduced because the tires can't grip as well.

Example Sentence 2

Reverse thrust adds to the retarding force and shortens the distance needed to stop on a wet runway.