According to the operating handbook, the An-2 has no stall speed. [Leonardo Correa Luna]
Key Takeaways:
The lowest airspeed an ordinary fixed-wing airplane can fly is primarily determined by its wing loading (weight divided by wing area) and the wing's maximum lift coefficient.
While aircraft like the Antonov An-2 employ advanced high-lift devices (e.g., leading-edge slats, full-span flaps) and sometimes limited elevator authority to achieve very low minimum speeds, they still adhere to fundamental aerodynamic principles.
Exaggerated claims of extremely low stall speeds (e.g., 25 mph) are often due to inaccuracies in airspeed indicators at low dynamic pressures, the influence of propwash, or confusion between airspeed and ground speed, rather than an aircraft defying aerodynamic limits.
The lowest airspeed at which an ordinary fixed-wing airplane can fly is almost entirely determined by two numbers.
One of them is the wing loading, that is, the airplane’s weight divided by its wing area. The other is the maximum lift coefficient of the wing, which coincides with its stalling angle of attack.
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Peter Garrison taught himself to use a slide rule and tin snips, built an airplane in his backyard, and flew it to Japan. He began contributing to FLYING in 1968, and he continues to share his columns, ""Technicalities"" and ""Aftermath,"" with FLYING readers.
