Questions tagged [flaps]
Surfaces that extend from the wings to increase lift, allowing flight at slower speeds (such as for takeoff and landing).
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1answer
69 views
How beneficial are flaps when landing with a tailwind?
I understand that flaps are devices used to increase the amount of lift and drag. When landing with a tailwind your groundspeed will be higher. Therefore, flaps would help reduce this groundspeed, ...
11
votes
3answers
306 views
How does the A350 variable camber system decrease drag?
Just curious how the A350 reduces drag/fuel burn by extending the flaps ever so slightly during cruise. Everything I've read about extending flaps says that extending them pushes the centre of ...
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vote
1answer
270 views
What is this loose object above the flap fairing? [duplicate]
During my flight, I noticed a loose object above one of the flap fairings. You can see it in this video: https://imgur.com/wCPSEem.
Is it normal or should I notify the airline?
People pointed out to ...
16
votes
1answer
3k views
What happens to Cessna electric flaps that are moving when power is lost?
On final in a C182T you move the flap control arm from 20 to FULL, and when halfway there, the breaker pops (or BUS1 fails, a wire falls off, etc.)
Does the flap stay where it is, slide back to 20°, ...
17
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2answers
2k views
What is the reason for setting flaps 1 on the ground at high temperatures?
Yesterday I've seen an A320 standing at the gate with flaps 1. While this question answers, why the flaps should be up, is there any reason to retract the flaps to 1 instead of up?
In addition it ...
5
votes
2answers
401 views
Why doesn't extending the flaps on a B-2 send it into an uncontrollable dive?
The Northrop-Grumman B-2, a tailless-flying-delta-wing aircraft, has a set of flaps along its trailing edge, as seen (for instance) in this cutaway diagram:
(Image from Funker530.)
But tailless ...
-1
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2answers
76 views
Are flaps a good idea for airfoils with a lot of camber?
I have a wing with an airfoil s1223 which is an airfoil with a lot of camber. the take off distance is limited so I want to implement flaps for this issue but I have the doubt if this is a good idea.
0
votes
1answer
169 views
Why does the DHC-6 pitch down when the flaps are retracted, rather than up?
Air Moorea Flight 1121 crashed because one of its elevator cables broke immediately after the pilot retracted the flaps, but before he could trim out the resulting pitch-down moment - to quote the ...
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1answer
124 views
What is the name for a flap that increases the wing's area but not its camber?
Flaps are high-lift devices mounted to the rear portion of an aircraft's wing.
Some types of flaps increase lift by increasing the wing's camber, or, at least, that of its lower surface (plain flaps, ...
4
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4answers
231 views
Could flaps replace spoilers by deflecting more than 90°?
Could flaps replace spoilers by deflecting more than 90° after touchdown?
4
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1answer
249 views
Why does the A320’s maximum allowable aileron deflection decrease, rather than increase, when the flaps are extended?
According to this answer to why the A320 uses mainly spoilerons for roll control during landing, rather than conventional ailerons, the ailerons can’t extend as far when the flaps are extended, for ...
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1answer
303 views
Is it normal procedure to lower flaps at high altitudes?
I was flying on a Boeing 747-800 today and the pilot opened up flaps at high altitude. This caused sharp descend for about 5 seconds ( Causing slight panic onboard ) , the pilot leveled the flaps ...
8
votes
1answer
369 views
What are possible causes for the flaps not deploying on a Cessna 172?
I would like to seek some expert opinion on why my flaps failed to deploy when I took it to Flaps 20.
I was turning from Downwind to Base when I took flaps 20 and noticed that my speed was creeping ...
4
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2answers
603 views
What is this unusual leading edge flap on a B737-200?
On this video of Air North's gravel runway-equipped B737-200, there's what appears to be a small leading-edge flap (Krueger flap?) inboard of the engine. Refer to the screen shot below. What is this?...
2
votes
2answers
207 views
What flaps and throttle settings are used on takeoff, climb, cruise, descent, and landing? [closed]
What degree of flaps and throttle setting are used on takeoff, climb, cruise, descent, and landing? This question is for private and general aviation aircraft. I have looked everywhere for FAA manuals ...
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2answers
119 views
What backup systems are in place for flaps actuated by sliding block guides?
Looking at this video of a 737's flap extension, it looks like there is just one screw per side driving all of the flaps. Are there any systems in place that will allow the flaps to extend in the ...
16
votes
3answers
4k views
To flap or not to flap?
I am learning to fly an Ikarus-C42. The instructor I have recommends to all students that they land without flaps, because it is less to think about and because it gives you more airspeed, thus less ...
4
votes
1answer
452 views
Which photo more accurately represents Flaps 1 in a 737-800?
or A recent update in a sim craft changed the visuals from what I'm used to, but from my research it looks to be more realistic. This post clearly reflects the more extended option being more ...
2
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4answers
503 views
How does setting takeoff flaps improve aircraft performance?
A study guide I recently found indicates that Vmc and aircraft performance improve with takeoff flaps set. The Vmc improvement makes sense but the performance improvement does not. At a basic level, ...
2
votes
3answers
670 views
What does the extending the flaps do (or any high lift device) to the Rate-Of-Descent of an airplane?
I know that deploying flaps will increase both drag and lift, thus increasing L/D ratio. But how exactly does that correlate with the increase/decrease of the rate-of-descent?
0
votes
1answer
151 views
Is using flaps the same as increasing the AOA? [duplicate]
The purpose of trailing edge flaps is to give the aircraft more lift at lower speeds.
But do simple flaps beneficent more than increasing the angle of attack?
The image looks like part of the wing ...
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vote
2answers
151 views
Why flaps can deflect up to 25°+ without stalling the wings? [duplicate]
According to this graph,plain flaps have their highest Cl at about 2 and stalls at about 15°,my question is how then do airplane flaps reach 25°+ of delflection when this gragh clearly states that ...
3
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2answers
116 views
Is the lift produced by a wing with a 10° flap equal to the lift created by a wing with 10° AOA but with no flap?
After reading this article I would like to know if the lift produced by a wing with a 10° flap is equal to the lift created by a wing with 10° AOA but with no flap?
3
votes
1answer
819 views
Where is the F-4 Phantom II's flap lever?
I'm trying to fly this fighter for the first time in X-Plane 11 but I can't seem to find the flap lever in the cockpit. Where is it on the real plane?
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2answers
521 views
Why is the critical AoA of most flaps 40° when most airfoils stall at 15°?
A plain flap deflected 40 degrees is largely stalled (...)
Flaps stall at 40° according to an answer on Quora, why is this so when typical airfoils stall at 15°?
24
votes
2answers
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Why didn't the Concorde have flaps or slats?
It's well known that the Concorde had no flaps or slats. The lack of high-lift devices considerably reduced lift at low speeds, requiring the Concorde to take off and land at higher speeds and angles ...
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4answers
677 views
Why would an aircraft do multiple runway laps before takeoff?
During a recent Ryanair, Boeing 737 flight, the aircraft went up and down the runway several times before takeoff, whilst modifying the flaps.
Why would this have been? Usually, I thought flaps and ...
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vote
0answers
248 views
Why are Leading Edge Flaps (LEFs) create lift while down at slow speeds but decrease lift while down at higher speeds?
When taking off or landing, both LEFs and trailing edge flaps (TEFs) for fighter aircraft are in the down position to provide more lift. However, when flying around at higher speeds (let's say 500-600 ...
3
votes
1answer
132 views
How are flaps sized in order to give necessary delta CLmax? [duplicate]
Given an airfoil and wing planform, what is the process to find the flap size and deflection necessary to give a certain change in CLmax? Flaps are usually sized as a percentage of the chord, with 0....
4
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2answers
187 views
How do partial- and full flaps compare for gusty approaches?
From an aerodynamic aspect, how do partial flaps and full flaps compare for gusty approaches?
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1answer
1k views
How is the area of flaps determined?
While may be possible to look up the dimensions of high lift devices in an aicraft's documentation, there is no information on what the underlying design choices are.
Using Wikipedia, I found out ...
0
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1answer
400 views
What is the optimum speed for takeoff flaps?
I took a 737 rating written test yesterday and one of the questions was:
What's the optimum speed for takeoff flaps?
V2
V2 + 10
V2 + 15
V2 + 20
Anybody knows the answer? I did some research and ...
2
votes
1answer
607 views
Which flap is better suited? Split or Plain?
I’m considering which flap to build onto a home built aircraft, but not exactly sure which flap would best fit the aircraft and which one would be more beneficial. The aircraft has a fighterlike look ...
4
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2answers
1k views
Does extension of flaps 1, 2, 5 or 10 increase descent rates?
Let's say you need greater descent rates than you can get with the full use of the speed brake in an airliner. Does it help to use the above flap positions in getting greater descent rates?
11
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2answers
5k views
Why does stall speed decrease when flaps are deployed?
I've been told that deploying the flaps on approach enables the following:
Potentially steeper approach
Slows down the plane
Lower stall speed
It's the last one that confuses me.
Given the equation ...
4
votes
1answer
336 views
What are the benefits of using thick trailing edge flaps?
I had been reading in numerous articles (see this answer and this one) that there are advantages of using thick trailing edge flaps. In these articles it kept on coming up that Airbus uses thick ...
7
votes
1answer
1k views
Why is deploying speed brakes not recommended with the flaps extended?
I read this in the normal procedures section of the A320 FCOM. Why is it so?
When the speed brakes are deployed, extending the flaps beyond FLAPS 1 may induce a slight roll movement, and in calm ...
12
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3answers
2k views
When does a 'flaps/slats misconfiguration' warning sound during takeoff roll?
If a flight crew begins their takeoff roll and don't have slats and flaps configured properly, when does the system know when to sound the alarm? If it actually sounds during the roll itself, that ...
7
votes
1answer
207 views
What operations during preflight and pre-takeoff engine run-up cause a change in engine rpm?
In a Cessna 182, during certain preflight check procedures with the engine running, RPM drops. What are these procedures and why does rpm change?
4
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2answers
826 views
What kind of flaps are used in gliders?
I'm estimating some wing parameters for an imaginary airplane (simple college project). We are allowed to use coefficients for any basic types of flaps (plain/split/slotted/Fowler etc), but since I'm ...
6
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3answers
514 views
What is the purpose of extending one degree of flaps (perhaps with spoilers)?
What would be the use of one degree of flaps? And is there any reason to use both flaps and spoilers combined?
14
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2answers
1k views
Why were the 747SP's trailing-edge flaps so much different than those of the -100/-200?
I read several decades ago about how the 747SP's trailing edge flaps were substantially redesigned from those of the "original" 747-100/-200s. The images on the 747SP Wikipedia page clearly show what ...
14
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3answers
1k views
Why are the outboard Krueger Flaps retracted before the others on the B747?
In this video, I noticed that the outboard Krueger Flaps on this Boeing 747 were retracted while the middle and inner sets remained extended (refer to 3:22 - 3:30 in the video). My questions are:
...
4
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1answer
181 views
How does the extension of inboard flaps raise the effective critical angle of attack of the outer wing?
I raised a question about this on this post in the comment section and was suggested by Peter Kämpf to create a new question. So here it goes: How does the extension of inboard flaps raise the ...
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0answers
1k views
Does the extension of trailing edge flaps increase or decrease the critical angle of attack?
Which graph is the correct representation of the trailing edge flaps' effect on the critical angle of attack? Does their extension increase (as depicted on the first graph) or decrease (as depicted on ...
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2answers
619 views
How does the flap configuration affect the tailstrike limit?
The configuration that provides the maximum FLEX temperature varies with the runway length.
On short runways, CONF 3 usually provides the highest FLEX temperature, and the tail clearance at lift off ...
14
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2answers
1k views
Do modern airliners have a flaps warning indication?
Years ago I was on a flight from San Francisco to Los Angeles, a 737 if I remember rightly, and was sitting just behind the wings and could not help noticing the flaps were partly extended for the ...
14
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3answers
3k views
Is it normal practice to use 25 degrees of flaps when taking off at max weight in a PA-28-181?
I recently started renting a plane (PA-28-181) from a new flight school and had to get checked out before I had the "OK" to rent.
I had brought 2 family members ...
8
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2answers
3k views
How are flaps controlled?
I can understand what function(s) the flaps serve, but how are they controlled from an internal perspective? Does flipping the switch send signals to an electrical servo? Or is it hydraulics? How are ...
9
votes
1answer
990 views
How do the uninterrupted and interrupted flaps compare?
(wikimedia.org) Airbus A350.
There aren't many wide-bodies out there. Whether it's Douglas, Boeing, or Ilyushin, they all have the high-speed aileron interrupting the flaps. Whereas Airbus uses ...
