Plain English Meaning

The fastest speed at which you can yank a control fully in one direction and have the wing stall before anything bends or breaks. Below this speed, the airplane will run out of lift before it runs out of strength.

Full Definition

The maximum speed at which a sudden, full deflection of a single flight control will cause the airplane to stall before the airframe is overstressed beyond its design load limit. VA is published in the airplane's flight manual and typically varies with weight, decreasing as weight decreases.

Context Anchor

You will see VA in the airplane manual, on some cockpit placards, and in training discussions about , , , and other situations where the airplane may be loaded more than in .