ASSIGNMENT NO-01

Course Code : AEAS 437

Topic Name : Effect Of Flap Deflection On Gliding

Submitted By :- MD. Anamul Haque

Role : 201722043
Level : 4
Term : 1
Course : AE-09
Date of submission :30-06-2020

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 Contents page

• Preface ……………………..………………………………………………………….03
• Flap’s effect on lift and drag generation………..………………………03
• Effect of flaps during take of………………………………………………….04
• Flap reduces Stall Speed ……………………………………………………….05
• Effect of flap in co-efficient of lift & drag ………………………………06
• Flap extension during landings provides several
advantages by………………………..…………………………………………….07
• Using Flaps On Crosswind Landings……………………………………….08
• References ……………………………………………………………………………09
• References of figure………………………………………………………………10

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Preface
➢ Flaps which are high-lift devices used to reduce the stalling speed of an aircraft
wing at a given weight. Flaps are usually mounted on the wing trailing edges of a
fixed-wing aircraft.
➢ There are many different designs of flaps commonly, plain flap, split flap, slotted
flap, flower flap.

Figure (1): common types of flap

➢ Extending the wing flaps increases the camber the wing, raising the maximum lift
coefficient . This allows the aircraft to generate the required lift at a lower speed,
reducing stall speed . [1]

Flap’s effect on lift and drag generation:

➢ The airplane's velocity is relatively low. To keep the lift high (to avoid objects on
the ground!), airplane designers try to increase the wing area and change the
airfoil shape by putting some moving parts on the wings' leading and trailing
edges. The part on the trailing edge is called a flap.
➢ The flaps along metal tracks built into the wings. Moving the flaps aft (toward the
tail) increases the wing area. Pivoting the trailing edge of the flap downward
increases the effective camber of the airfoil, which increases the lift.
➢ When the wheels touch down, we want to decrease the lift (to keep the plane on
the ground!) spoilers deployed on the top of the wing to kill the lift. Spoilers
create additional drag to slow down the plane.

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 Figure (2): Effect of flaps in lift generation

➢ The large aft-projected area of the flap increases the drag of the aircraft. This
helps the airplane slow down for landing.[2]

Effect of flaps during take of:

➢ On takeoff, we want high lift and low drag, so the flaps will be set downward at a
moderate setting. During landing we want high lift and high drag, so the flaps and
slats will be fully deployed.[3]
➢ Many aircraft, especially the big ones, use flaps for takeoff. Without the increase
in lift that flaps provide, most large aircraft would simply not be able to go fast
enough, or have enough runway, to get off the ground.
➢ Aircraft use takeoff flap settings that are roughly between 5-15 degrees (most
jets use leading edge slats as well). That's quite a bit different than landing, when
aircraft typically use 25-40 degrees of flaps.
➢ By extending the flaps a little bit, your plane benefits from the increase in lift (due
to camber), but it doesn't pay the high form drag penalty caused by fully
extended flaps.

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 Figure (3): Effect of flap during take off

➢ This is true for both large and small planes. Even for a Cessna 172S, 10 degrees of
flaps are recommended for takeoff.
➢ Once the plane is off the ground, the flaps are retracted, the camber is reduced,
and the aircraft accelerates to cruise speed.[4]

Flap reduces Stall Speed:

➢ Extending flaps reduces your aircraft's stall speed for a fairly simple reason.
Because your wing creates more lift with the flaps down, you don't need to as
much angle-of-attack to balance the four forces of flight.

Figure (4): Effect of flap in stall speed

➢ And because you can fly at a lower angle-of-attack with flaps extended, your stall
speed will be lower as well.[5]

➢ Flaps are auxiliary controls built into the wings and used to increase the camber.
Trailing edge flaps reduce the stalling angle ... when referred to the chord line of
the original non flapped airfoil.

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➢ Flaps permit aircraft to fly at a lower speed, permitting better control on takeoff
and a lower approach speed for landing. Flaps also increase drag, permitting
aircraft to descend at a steeper angle. [6]

Effect of flap in co-efficient of lift & drag

➢ The deflection of a trailing-edge wing flap causes large nose down moments
which create important twisting moments on the aircraft structure and pitching
moments that must be controlled with the horizontal tail.

➢ which produce the greatest increases in CLmax.Consequently increases the lift .

Figure (5) effect of Flaps on Lift and Drag

[This graph is from the superb book “Aerodynamics for Naval Aviators” by Hugh
H. Hurt]

➢ Small initial deflections of wing flaps cause noticeable changes in CLmax without
large changes in drag coefficient. Large wing flap deflections past 30 to 35
degrees do not create the same rate of change of CLmax, but do cause greater
changes in the drag coefficient.This allows to increase the drag also.

➢ Primary purpose of flaps devices is to increase the maximum coefficient of lift of

the airplane and reduce the stall speed. Takeoff and landing speeds are
consequently reduced.[7]

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 Flap extension during landings provides several advantages by:
• Producing greater lift and permitting lower landing speed,
• Producing greater drag, permitting a steeper descent angle without
airspeed increase, and
• Reducing the length of the landing roll.

Figure (6): Effect of flaps on the landing point

➢ Flap deflection of up to 15° primarily produces lift with minimal drag. The airplane
has a tendency to balloon up with initial flap deflection because of the lift
increase. The nose down pitching moment, however, tends to offset the balloon.
➢ Flap deflection beyond 15° produces a large increase in drag. In high-wing
airplanes, a significant nose up pitching moment can occur because the resulting
downwash increases the airflow over the horizontal tail.

Figure (7): Effect of flap in approach angle

➢ When the flaps are lowered, the airspeed will decrease unless the power is
increased or the pitch attitude lowered. On final approach, therefore, you must
estimate where the airplane will land through discerning judgment of the descent

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 angle. If it appears that the airplane is going to overshoot the desired landing
spot, use more flaps, reduce power, and lower pitch attitude for a steeper
approach.
➢ If the desired landing spot is being undershot, shallow the approach by increasing
power and pitch to readjust the descent angle. Never retract the flaps to correct
for an undershoot, since that will suddenly decrease the lift and cause the
airplane to sink even more rapidly.[8]

➢ If the focus is changed gradually, being brought progressively closer as speed is

reduced, the time interval and the pilot’s reaction are reduced and the whole
landing process smoothed out.[9]

Using Flaps On Crosswind Landings :

➢ In gusty crosswind conditions, many pilots feel a higher approach speed with a
lower flap setting gives them more control of the aircraft during the flare and that
is correct, however, you still need to transition from flying speed to touchdown
speed and that will take longer with less flaps.

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 Figure (8): effect of flaps on crosswind landings

➢ landing with less than full flaps will cause you to use more runway which may or
may not be a problem depending upon the airport .
➢ most airline and corporate aircraft always land with full flaps but they may add a
speed increment for strong winds and gusts. The advantage here is that the flare
is the same each time and the landing distance is predictable.[10]

References
1. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Flap_
2. https://www.grc.nasa.gov/WWW/K-12/airplane/flap.html
3. https://www.grc.nasa.gov/WWW/K-12/airplane/flap.html
4. https://www.boldmethod.com/learn-to-fly/aircraft-systems/how-flaps-work/
5. https://www.boldmethod.com/learn-to-fly/aircraft-systems/how-flaps-work/
6. http://www.ballyshannon.com/aoaflapbias.html
7. https://commons.erau.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1026&context=jaaer
8. https://www.faasafety.gov/files/gslac/courses/content/35/376/Use%20of%2
0Flaps.pdf
9. https://www.flightliteracy.com/normal-approach-and-landing-part-three-use-
of-flaps-and-estimating-height-and-movement/
10. https://pilotworkshop.com/tips/crosswind_landings_flaps/

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Figure references:
▪ Figure (1):
https://www.google.com/url?sa=i&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.aircraftcom
pare.com%2Fblog%2Ftypes-of-aircraft-flaps
▪ Figure (2): https://www.grc.nasa.gov/WWW/K-12/airplane/Images/flap.gif
▪ Figure(3): https://www.boldmethod.com/images/learn-to-fly/aircraft-
systems/how-flaps-work/wake.jpg
▪ Figure (4) :https://www.boldmethod.com/images/learn-to-fly/aircraft-
systems/how-flaps-work/aoa.jpg
▪ Figure(5)This graph is from the superb book “Aerodynamics for Naval
Aviators” by Hugh H. Hurt.
▪ Figure (6): https://www.flightliteracy.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/12/8-
3.jpg
▪ Figure(7): https://www.flightliteracy.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/12/8-
4.jpg
▪ Figure (8) https://pilotworkshop.com/wp-
content/uploads/2013/05/crossw3-1.jpg

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