What does Vso represent in aviation terms?

Vso is a critical airspeed reference in aviation that specifically refers to the stall speed of an aircraft in its landing configuration. This is the minimum speed at which the aircraft can maintain controlled flight while landing. Understanding Vso is essential for pilots as it helps establish a safety margin during approaches and landings, ensuring that the aircraft does not inadvertently enter a stall condition when close to the ground.

In the context of flight operations, Vso is used to determine approach speeds and landing techniques, contributing to overall safety during these critical phases of flight. Knowing this stall speed allows pilots to keep a safe buffer above this threshold while flying at slower speeds, which is particularly crucial during final approaches, flare, and touchdown.

The other options do not accurately represent Vso. Velocity of sound pertains to a different set of considerations in aviation related to flight speed and compressibility effects. Standard operating speed for arrivals and vertical speed for takeoff are not defined by Vso and relate to other performance parameters specific to flight profiles and operations, further underscoring the importance of understanding Vso as it pertains directly to aircraft stall behavior during landing.