What does VLO stand for?

• A. The speed for extending or retracting the landing gear.
• B. The maximum speed for extending or retracting the landing gear.
• C. The never-exceed speed for retracting the gear.
• D. The minimum approach speed with gear extended.

Answer: (C)

VLO is the maximum speed at which you may safely operate the landing gear — that is, the speed limit for extending or retracting the gear. This limit exists because moving the gear at higher airspeeds subjects the gear mechanism and doors to loads they’re not designed to handle.

Understanding how it fits with other limits helps: you must slow to or below VLO before you extend or retract the gear. Once the gear is up and properly locked, you can accelerate again toward higher limits, up to VNE (the never-exceed speed for the airplane) in clean configuration. If the gear is down for flight, you also need to stay under VLE (maximum speed with the gear extended).

The wording you’ll see in some questions might describe VLO as a “never-exceed speed for retracting,” but the standard definition is about the gear operation itself (extend or retract), not a separate never-exceed limit for retracting alone.