Which V-speed represents maximum landing gear extended speed?

• A. V/LE
• B. V/FE
• C. V/NO
• D. V/S0

Answer: (A)

V_LE is the speed limit that applies when the landing gear is down. When the gear is extended, the aircraft’s aerodynamics change and the gear and doors are built to handle loads only up to a certain airflow. Exceeding this speed can cause the gear to fail to stay extended or locked, or the doors to fail or burst open, leading to damage or dangerous handling. The other speeds refer to different configurations: V_FE is the maximum speed with flaps extended, V_NO is the never-exceed speed for structural safety in normal flight, and V_S0 is stall speed in the landing configuration. So the maximum landing gear extended speed is V_LE.