Tinstaafl
Interesting that you used flap zero on the PA32, the POH for the -300 version that I flew mandated flap 10 for normal take off and 25 for soft/short and I always wondered what difference the first notch really made (although I did comply with the POH, as I am sure you did with the version that you flew.)
pilotbear
What is the point of that?
I believe that a little inadvertent ambiguity has crept in here, Speed Twelve means either.....
They just did it when he asked them to demonstrate a short field t/o on a check ride, proving that their airmanship was challenged
-or-
He asked them to do it, to demonstrate that the t/o roll was the same or a little longer and the climbout performance and thus the obstacle clearance ability was reduced.
I bet 10p on the first option
New Trainer
In addition the other posters info, another reason for using flaps 10 on a grass strip might be to fly a little earlier and save the landing gear some extra bangs and bumps, if the field is rough, although this would be a secondary consideration to field performance.
Why don't you ask your instructor for his reasons? he'll be delighted that you are thinking through the details of the lesson
