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Hi Jason, while I find your podcasts very cool and informative, I would like to make a somewhat personal comment on the discussion you had with Torea Rodriguez. What was refreshing in this discussion was the fact that here are two people, pilots, professionals, flying instructors, openly discussing a topic without trying to out-point eachother. Let me explain. I've been around flying clubs & schools for a little while and (very, very) often there are discussions among pilots, instructors, hangar rats, where all & sundry are trying to be the one who has the definitive answer. "no, you're wrong, I think this, I think that, I, I, I....
This conversation you had with Torea was such a breath of fresh air! Now, not all the flying clubs I hang at are full of egotistcal people. But there are some. Not for a second did I think of you as that kind of person, far from it:), we have had great communications, emails, and hey, you dedicated two of your early shows about things I did and questions I asked! Jason, we live in a new information world where we can choose more readily than ever the information we want, news (pay tv), music (iPods) and now this new medium, podcasting. Oh and what about You-Tube? No loonger do we have to just watch what is served up. I listen to a few aviation podcasts and I choose yours as my most looked forward to podcast, the others are great but I suppose as my main interest is flight training, I can't wait for you poddy's. Cheers Jason & keep up the fantastic work!

_________________
Fly safe,

David

Thanks for the compliment! I am a firm beliver that unless we start sharing and talking with each other in Aviation we wont progress as an industry. I mean sure, there are technological advances being made, but we have to move away from the "one-up-manship" or the "oh but you could do the approach if you loaded the approach using this key sequence on the WhichBox GPS" or the "91.take.your.favorite only says this!" We have to learn somehow and there are many many ways of achieving that learning. I think this is one of the key things that has really hooked me being a CFI. I can learn so many different techniques and explainations that it only makes me a better CFI to learn different ways to approach the same problem. There are flying clubs out there where you see CFIs compete for business and not share information with other CFIs. And in my mind, this is a world where knowlege is not just power its safer!

Anyway, thanks.
Torea Rodriguez

Torea is absolutely right about sharing info. I love to learn and hear new ideas and approaches. Then share what I've learned with others; one reason I want to teach someday.

There's a good chance that you could share a bit of information with a fellow pilot that just may save their life someday. Be generous with what you know; you could learn something, too.

It seems that we missd another factor of using flaps. Isn't that to reduce stall speed so we can land at a slower airspeed and increase safety?

Ron

Not all planes with flaps have flaps that reduce stall speed. They are not always lift devices - the primary intention - as stated in the podcast is to increase descent angle without increasing speed.

Gliders are great for this - the brakes and lift spoilers are fantastic glide slope tools. I remember when I was taking lessons in a 172 and gliders I lamented the fact that I did not have lift spoiling devices on the 172. (not that they were needed, but it is a great tool to have)

In planes with lift-enhancing flaps the side effect of slower landings is a great safety bonus. One should always strive to land as slow as possible given all safety considerations (wind and gusts are beyond this discussion)

The plane I fly (grumman aa5a) has flaps - but they are basically drag devices - not much additional lift is produced.

Hi,

After listening to this podcast, I ended up being a bit confused, well more than usual.

Firstly though, a disclaimer, I am a low hour student pilot, so I am not an expert by any means, I simply would like any misconceptions I may have cleared up before they cause me to come to grief.

So, my understanding of flaps goes a bit like this;
1. Applying flaps, particularly the first stage, will lower your stall speed and increase drag (a bit), more in some aircraft, less in others, but still will allow you to land/take-off/fly/manoeuvre at lower speeds with safety (within reason!).
2. Further application of flap (2nd, 3rd stage etc.) may also lower your stall speed, but to a lesser extent, and will primarily add drag.
3. When applying flap, the aircraft may pitch up or down, this depends on high or low wing, high or low tail etc. etc. The aircraft will need to be re-trimmed.
4. When flap is first applied, there is an increase in lift due to the change in angle of attack, this is compensated for by lowering the nose . There may also be an increase in lift due to an increase in the coefficient of lift of that section of the wing.
5. For a given speed and rate of climb/descent, the nose of the aircraft will be lower with flaps extended.
6. With flaps extended, washout is increased.
7. Fly too fast with flaps extended, and bits will fall off

So from all this I get the following;
1. I will have better forward visibility with flaps extended.
2. My stall speed will be lower, though in some aircraft this is not by much.
3. Manoeuvring at low speed will be safer due to the increase in washout, my ailerons will be less liable to stall.
4. The added drag is a good thing when landing, my instructor has shown me that pulling the flap handle past the last notch helps descend even faster
5. Look at the ASI before extending flap! If the handle seems to take more force than usual to pull back, look at the ASI!! (Ok, not so effective with electric flaps!)
6. I think for some aircraft, number 3 is the most important??
7. The primary function of flaps is not simply to add drag, spoilers or airbrakes would be more effective.

So, I am a learner. If anything above is wrong, then let me know what is right. This will make me safer, keep my instructor young, and may cut down on the insurance premiums for us all

GA with L plates.