What effect does increased angle of attack have on stall speed?

An increased angle of attack leads to an increase in stall speed because the aircraft requires a higher speed to produce enough lift to counteract the increased lift requirement caused by a higher angle of attack. When the angle of attack increases, the airflow around the wing becomes more disrupted, resulting in a stall occurring at a higher airspeed than at a lower angle of attack.

The stall speed is defined as the minimum speed at which the aircraft can maintain controlled flight, and it is directly related to the wing's ability to generate lift. As the angle of attack increases, the lift curve steepens, and the wing reaches its critical angle of attack sooner—this is the point at which airflow can no longer adhere smoothly to the wing surface. Consequently, to achieve the necessary lift at a higher angle of attack, the aircraft must travel faster, which translates to an increased stall speed.

In other scenarios, such as maintaining a lower angle of attack, stall speed remains unchanged, decreases, or may seem to fluctuate due to variations in load factors or aircraft configurations, but these conditions do not apply when considering the direct effect of increased angle of attack on stall speed.