Definition
VLE is the maximum airspeed at which an aircraft may be safely flown with the landing gear in the extended (down and locked) position. Exceeding VLE risks structural damage to the gear, gear doors, and supporting structure from aerodynamic loads.
Plain English
The fastest you can fly with the wheels already hanging down and locked in place. Go faster than this and you can damage the gear or the structure holding it.
Context Anchor
You will see VLE in the aircraft’s operating handbook, on performance speed lists, and during approach or abnormal situations where the landing gear may be down for more than a brief moment.
Derivation
The 'V' comes from the French 'vitesse,' meaning speed — standard prefix for aviation speed limits. 'LE' stands for 'Landing gear Extended.' Knowing the V-prefix helps tie VLE into the wider family of V-speeds (VNE, VFE, VLO, etc.).
Why Pilots Care
Exceeding VLE with the gear extended risks structural damage to the gear doors, struts, and attachments.
Intuition Check
Do not confuse VLE with the speed for moving the gear. VLE is the limit for flying with the landing gear already extended.
Example Sentence 1
After lowering the gear on the downwind leg, she kept the airspeed below VLE while configuring for landing.
Example Sentence 2
Before extending the gear in descent, the crew confirmed the current speed was well under VLE.