Another maybe stoopid question from the boys at the bar, cruise speed.
Last nights' bar room discussion, not a pilot among us, gave rise to the comment that long distance heavy aircraft (the example was B747s across the Pacific) are normally cruised at a speed not much above what would be the stalling speed at that altitude! As you would expect some roundly decried this statement but it did get me thinking especially the comment that if the aircraft had to slow for any reason it would have to descend to avoid stalling.
Any comment from those who might know? Thanks.