A Boeing 737 typically stalls at roughly 100–120 KIAS with landing flaps or 140–160 KIAS clean. Learn why weight, bank and variant change it.
A Boeing 737 has no single stall speed. Across the family, a representative 1-g stall is roughly 100–120 KIAS in a landing configuration and about 140–160 KIAS clean, depending strongly on variant and weight. Real crews use calculated speed references and stall-warning margins, not one memorised number.
For our Aviation & Real-World Flying coverage, these figures are broad orientation, not operating data. KIAS means knots indicated airspeed; the approved speed schedule for the exact 737 model, loading and configuration always takes precedence.
Why is there no single Boeing 737 stall speed?
An aeroplane stalls when its wing exceeds the critical angle of attack, so the corresponding airspeed changes with configuration and load. The 737 family also spans several generations, from early models through the Classic, Next Generation and MAX series.
- Gross weight: a heavier 737 must fly faster to produce the required lift. Stall speed changes approximately with the square root of weight.
- Flaps and leading-edge devices: extending them increases maximum lift and reduces stall speed. A clean, flaps-up 737 therefore stalls much faster than one configured for landing.
- Bank and manoeuvring load: turning or pulling increases load factor and raises stall speed.
- Variant and wing: wing geometry, maximum weight and certification data differ across the 737 family.
- Contamination and damage: ice, frost or wing damage can reduce available lift and cause an earlier, less predictable stall.
| Representative condition | Approximate 1-g stall range |
|---|---|
| Landing configuration at a light-to-moderate weight | About 100–110 KIAS |
| Landing configuration at a high landing weight | About 110–120 KIAS |
| Flaps up at a medium-to-high weight | About 140–160 KIAS |
Individual models and loading cases can fall outside these ranges. Depending on the document and certification basis, stall-related speeds may be labelled VS, VS0, VS1 or VSR; our explanation of stall references and other aviation V-speeds clarifies those terms.
How much does bank angle increase stall speed?
In a coordinated level turn, stall speed rises with load factor. The approximate relationship is VS(bank) = VS(level) / √cos(bank).
- At 30 degrees of bank, stall speed is about 7% higher.
- At 45 degrees, it is about 19% higher.
- At 60 degrees, it is about 41% higher.
This is why a slow, steep turn close to the ground leaves much less margin than wings-level flight at the same indicated speed.
Does altitude change the indicated stall speed?
For the same weight, configuration and load factor, indicated stall speed remains broadly similar as altitude changes. True airspeed and groundspeed at the stall will be higher at altitude, however, and the high-altitude buffet boundary introduces limits that a simple low-altitude stall figure does not describe.
Is 737 landing speed the same as stall speed?
No. VREF is an operational landing reference derived with a safety margin above the applicable stall reference and subject to other certification limits. The final approach target normally adds the required wind correction to VREF.
A mistake we see constantly in simulators is trying to hold a quoted stall speed on final. That is not a landing target. Our guide to choosing a 737 landing speed explains how weight, flap setting and wind determine the number to fly.
What speed should I use in a Boeing 737 simulator?
Use the speed calculated by the simulated aircraft for its actual weight and flap setting, not a generic family-wide figure.
- Set the correct loading. Confirm fuel, payload and centre of gravity before calculating approach speeds.
- Select the landing flap. Read the corresponding VREF from the FMC approach-reference page, electronic flight bag or performance tool supplied with the add-on.
- Apply the appropriate additive. Set the final target using VREF plus the wind correction required by the aircraft or operator procedure.
- Configure progressively. Extend flaps within their placard limits and reduce speed towards each displayed manoeuvring reference. A proper 737 descent and approach setup prevents the common error of arriving high, fast and then selecting landing flap abruptly.
- Respect stall warnings. The stick shaker and low-speed indications provide warning before a developed aerodynamic stall; they are not targets to approach during normal flight.
Why does my 737 add-on stall at a different speed?
Simulator results vary because flight models differ in fidelity, and loading, centre of gravity, flap state, bank angle, weather and icing may not match the reference case. Some simplified add-ons also trigger the warning and aerodynamic stall at separate or imperfectly modelled points.
Compare like with like using KIAS, the same gross weight, flap setting and near-wings-level flight. If the discrepancy remains, use the documentation supplied with that specific aircraft; generic 737 figures never override its calculated speed schedule, and simulator behaviour should not be treated as approved real-aircraft data.