Learn the Boeing 767 stall speed range by flap setting and weight, why VREF differs, and which speed to use realistically in a flight simulator.
The Boeing 767 has no single stall speed. In normal 1g flight, roughly 105–125 KIAS is a useful landing-configuration range; clean-wing stall speed is often around 140–175 KIAS. The exact value changes with variant, weight, flap setting and load factor, so crews use calculated reference speeds and stall-warning indications instead.
For Aviation & Real-World Flying, treat these figures as context rather than approved performance data. The commonly quoted figure of about 110 knots usually represents a relatively light 767 in landing configuration—not a heavy aircraft with its flaps retracted.
What Boeing 767 stall speed is realistic?
A normally loaded 767 may approach its low-speed boundary near 110 KIAS with landing flap, while a heavy, clean aircraft can exceed 160 KIAS before stalling. These broad ranges cover several 767 variants and weights:
| Configuration | Indicative 1g stall region | What changes the figure |
|---|---|---|
| Landing flap 25 or 30, lighter weight | About 105–115 KIAS | Variant, actual weight and flap selection |
| Landing flap, high landing weight | About 115–125 KIAS | Higher weight raises the required lift and speed |
| Flaps up, moderate weight | About 140–160 KIAS | Retracted flaps and slats reduce maximum lift |
| Flaps up, heavy | About 160–175 KIAS or higher | Weight, manoeuvring load and atmospheric conditions |
All figures are indicated airspeed. Groundspeed is irrelevant to the aerodynamic stall, while true airspeed at the stall increases with altitude even though KIAS remains broadly similar at the same weight and configuration. Our guide to VS, VS1 and the other aviation V-speeds explains why the configuration attached to a quoted speed matters.
Is VREF the same as stall speed?
No: VREF is an approach reference speed with a prescribed margin above the applicable reference stall speed. It is normally calculated for the aircraft's landing weight and selected flap setting, then adjusted operationally for wind according to the applicable procedure.
A 767 approaching at roughly 130–150 KIAS is therefore not demonstrating that its stall speed is 130–150 KIAS. It is flying with a safety margin above the low-speed boundary. Our detailed discussion of 767 landing speeds, flap settings and weight covers that distinction.
The stick shaker is different again: it warns of an approaching stall and should activate before the fully developed aerodynamic stall. Its precise relationship to VREF and the actual break varies with configuration, certification logic and, in a simulator, the quality of the aircraft model.
Why can a 767 stall above the quoted speed?
A Boeing 767 stalls when the wing exceeds its critical angle of attack, not simply when the airspeed passes one fixed number. Our explanation of why critical angle of attack causes a stall provides the underlying aerodynamics.
- Weight: At an unchanged configuration, stall speed varies approximately with the square root of weight. A 10% weight increase raises stall speed by about 5%.
- Bank and load factor: A level 45-degree turn raises stall speed by about 19%; at 60 degrees, the increase is about 41%. The load-factor relationships for banked flight show why.
- Flap and slat position: Landing configuration produces much more maximum lift than a clean wing, substantially reducing stall speed.
- Wing contamination: Ice, frost or damage can reduce maximum lift, raise stall speed and alter the warning behaviour.
- Gusts and abrupt control inputs: A rapid increase in angle of attack can trigger an accelerated or dynamic stall despite an apparently adequate indicated speed.
What speed should I use in a 767 simulator?
Use the calculated VREF and approach target for the aircraft's actual weight and flap setting, not an estimated stall speed.
- Load the aircraft first. Complete fuel, payload and centre-of-gravity changes before calculating approach speeds.
- Select the intended landing flap. Flap 25 and flap 30 do not share the same reference speed.
- Read the aircraft's performance reference. In a detailed 767 add-on, use the FMC/CDU approach-reference data or the performance system supplied with that model.
- Apply the proper approach correction. Add the required wind component or gust correction using the simulated aircraft's documented procedure.
- Monitor low-speed cues. Treat the speed tape, minimum-manoeuvre indication and stick shaker as warnings, not targets.
A mistake we see constantly is changing payload through the simulator after the FMC has calculated VREF. That leaves the displayed reference speed based on an obsolete weight. Other common errors are comparing groundspeed with KIAS, mistaking a flap placard limit for a stall speed, or assuming the autothrottle will rescue an excessively low selected speed.
Simulator flight models also differ. A simplified aircraft may use a basic lookup value, while a detailed add-on may account for weight, configuration, angle of attack and load factor. For real-world operation, only approved aircraft performance data and operator procedures determine the applicable speeds.