FAA-H-8083-25C, ch. 5

How does load factor change stall speed?

A bank or a hard pull-up raises the speed at which the wing stalls. Here is the rule, the exam traps and practice questions, with the FAA source under each answer.

Part 107, explained · Last reviewed October 25, 2026 against the eCFR and faa.gov. UAV Campus is not affiliated with the FAA.

How does a higher load factor affect stall speed?

A higher load factor raises the stalling speed, which increases in proportion to the square root of the load factor. An aircraft that stalls at 50 knots in unaccelerated flight can be stalled at 100 knots by inducing a load factor of 4 Gs. So a steep turn can cause a stall at an airspeed that seems safe.

Sources: FAA-H-8083-25C ch. 5, Load Factors and Stalling Speeds · FAA-H-8083-25C ch. 5, Load Factors and Stalling Speeds

What the FAA handbook says

FAA-H-8083-25C ch. 5, Load Factors

An increased load factor increases the stalling speed and makes stalls possible at seemingly safe flight speeds.

FAA-H-8083-25C ch. 5, Load Factors and Stalling Speeds

This means that an aircraft with a normal unaccelerated stalling speed of 50 knots can be stalled at 100 knots by inducing a load factor of 4 Gs.

FAA-H-8083-25C ch. 5, Load Factors and Flight Maneuvers

The yield factor of the average light plane is reached at a bank of approximately 70° to 75°, and the stalling speed is increased by approximately one-half at a bank of approximately 63°.

Sources: FAA-H-8083-25C ch. 5, Load Factors · FAA-H-8083-25C ch. 5, Load Factors and Stalling Speeds · FAA-H-8083-25C ch. 5, Load Factors and Flight Maneuvers

Exam traps

  • An increased load factor makes stalls possible at seemingly safe flight speeds, such as in a steep turn or spiral.
  • The stalling speed of an aircraft is higher in a level turn than in straight-and-level flight.
  • The angle of attack at which an aircraft stalls does not change with weight or load factor: only the airspeed at which it is reached changes.

Try it: practice questions

Similar to the FAA test, not the actual test questions.

Practice question 1

During an approach to a stall, an increased load factor will cause the aircraft to

  1. A have a tendency to spin.
  2. B be more difficult to control.
  3. C stall at a higher airspeed.
Show the answer
Answer: C. stall at a higher airspeed.

(Stall speed increases as the load factor (and bank angle) increases. )

FAA source: FAA-H-8083-25C ch. 5, Load Factors and Stalling Speeds

Does the stall angle of attack change in a steep turn?

No. A given aircraft always stalls at the same angle of attack regardless of airspeed, weight, load factor or density altitude. What a turn changes is the airspeed at which the stall happens: the stalling speed is higher in a level turn.

Source: FAA-H-8083-25C ch. 5, Stalls

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