Definition
The span of airspeeds at which an aircraft can be safely and effectively operated, bounded at the low end by the stall speed and at the high end by the maximum allowable speed for the configuration or flight condition.
Plain English
The range of speeds, from the slowest the aircraft can fly without stalling to the fastest it is allowed to fly, at which it can be flown safely.
Context Anchor
Seen in aircraft performance discussions, operating limitations, and descriptions of what speeds are usable with a certain aircraft setup.
Why Pilots Care
It defines the usable speed envelope available for normal and emergency operations.
Intuition Check
Do not read “speed range” as any random change in speed. In aviation, it means a defined usable span between a lower speed limit and an upper speed limit for a specific condition.
Example Sentence 1
The flaps-down speed range is narrower than the clean speed range, so the pilot watches the airspeed indicator closely during approach.
Example Sentence 2
Knowing the aircraft speed range helps the pilot choose appropriate speeds during approach and go-around.