Upper limit of the White Arc is what airspeed?

Upper limit of the White Arc is what airspeed?

• A. 85 knots
• B. 80 knots
• C. 90 knots
• D. 88 knots

Answer: (A)

The white arc shows the flap operating range. Its upper limit is the maximum speed at which flaps can stay extended, known as Vfe. For many light airplanes, this flap-extended speed is 85 knots, so the white arc ends at 85 knots. Exceeding that speed with flaps still down can stress the flap mechanism and alter handling, which is why you retract flaps before reaching or passing this limit. The other speeds aren’t the flap-extended maximum for typical small aircraft, so they don’t define the upper edge of the white arc.

The white arc shows the flap operating range. Its upper limit is the maximum speed at which flaps can stay extended, known as Vfe. For many light airplanes, this flap-extended speed is 85 knots, so the white arc ends at 85 knots. Exceeding that speed with flaps still down can stress the flap mechanism and alter handling, which is why you retract flaps before reaching or passing this limit. The other speeds aren’t the flap-extended maximum for typical small aircraft, so they don’t define the upper edge of the white arc.