Understanding Vb

Turbulence Penetration Speed

O.C. Hope
Design Maneuvering Speed (Va) and Turbulence Penetration Airspeed (Design speed for
maximum gust intensity, Vb) are both defined in CFR 25.335. For those with a
background in Aeronautical Engineering the formulae presented in those paragraphs may be an
adequate explanation of the two terms and their differences. For the rest of us a more practical
explanation may be appropriate.
Background: Part 25 of the CFRs outlines the design criteria for transport category aircraft. It
requires that manufacturers publish quite a list of airspeeds for these aircraft Va, Vb, Vc, Vd,
etc., and defines how these speeds may be determined.
Manufacturers of General Aviation aircraft below 12,500 MGW are not required to publish most
of these speeds and specifically are not required to publish Vb for their aircraft. There are
statements in the various POHs and training materials, that may lead an aviator to the assumption
that Va is the Turbulence Penetration Airspeed - When turbulent air is encountered or expected
reduce speed to maneuvering speed.
Design Maneuvering Speed (Va) is the speed where the limiting positive load factor will produce
a stall in the clean configuration, or the speed below which the plane will stall before it
overstresses. In the world of fighters it is also referred to as Corner Velocity, the minimum
speed at which maximum Gs can be pulled. It is the speed for the quickest tightest turn. This is a
purely aerodynamic speed that varies directly with aircraft weight.
Vb, Design Speed for Maximum Gust Intensity, is less specific. The CFRs define its upper and
lower limits but leave it up to the manufacturer to specify the recommended speed for its aircraft
within that range. Vb may not be higher than the speed at which maximum gust will cause the
plane to exceed Va, nor lower than the speed which a similar maximum loss of speed will cause it
to fall below Vs1 (clean stall speed). The actual intensity of the gust is not defined.
Applying this same approach to light aircraft, it should be clear that when expecting/encountering
turbulence, that pilots should fly a speed that is slower than Va by at least the value of the
maximum gust airspeed gain they expect to encounter, and higher than V s1 by the same value
for potential airspeed loss.
Recommended procedures: A simple rule of thumb would be to split the difference and fly a
speed that is approximately half way between Vs 1 and Va. However, a slightly faster speed will
help improve controllability in very rough conditions. Since airspeed will be varying considerably
in turbulence, it is not important that the pilot try to maintain an exact speed, but rather work to
maintain near a level attitude and not exceed either the Va or Vs 1 limits. The Continental Airlines
B-737 Flight Manual offers the following excellent guidance which is also applicable to light
aircraft, The two major concerns when encountering turbulence are minimizing structural loads
imposed on the aircraft and avoiding extreme, unrecoverable attitudes.