Tom,Why don't you explain to me what I am missing?V2 gives you a better climb gradient then V2+20V2 with flaps take off gives you an even better climb gradient.Retracting flaps means you started the third segmenet...pushing the nose over for a faster speed, a level off...something you might not want to do whilst trying to get over the hills...get it?I will assume that you fly in the real world with real hills to smash into...so explain to me why on a climb gradient restricted SID in the soup you would retract the flaps and push the nose OVER if the whole point of the exercise is to get over the obstacles?That makes sense right? I am all ears.