According to the operating handbook, the An-2 has no stall speed. [Leonardo Correa Luna]
Key Takeaways:
An ordinary fixed-wing airplane's lowest airspeed is primarily determined by its wing loading (weight divided by wing area) and maximum lift coefficient.
The Antonov An-2's reported "no stall speed" or extremely low minimum speed is a myth, resulting from its limited elevator authority and advanced high-lift devices like slats, with its calculated actual minimum speed being significantly higher.
Misconceptions about aircraft having extremely low or non-existent stall speeds are largely due to inaccuracies in airspeed indicators at very low dynamic pressures and confusion between true airspeed and ground speed.
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.
