Flap position indicator
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Join Date: Dec 2007
Location: Meteorology Avenue
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Flap position indicator
I saw this flap indicator on a Frasca simulator and I'm curious how it works as long as it indicates percent extended and not degrees as usually.
A lot of aircraft do not show actual degrees as it’s mostly irrelevant.
Think Flaps T/O and two landing positions or Flaps 1/5/10 or Flaps 1/4, 1/2, 3/4 and Full positions.
Think Flaps T/O and two landing positions or Flaps 1/5/10 or Flaps 1/4, 1/2, 3/4 and Full positions.
The Lockheed Electra has a flap indicator in percent of flap track travel. Since the flaps were fowler type most of the initial flap track was back not down so takeoff and approach flap which was 15 degrees of deflection was indicated as flap 78 as the flap was at 78 % of full travel which was definitely counter intuitive..
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Look in the POH.
A lot of Piper 28s for instance, doesn't have an indicator at all.
I love the "handbrake" style way more than the electric flaps in older Cessnas, but that's a personal preference.
A lot of Piper 28s for instance, doesn't have an indicator at all.
I love the "handbrake" style way more than the electric flaps in older Cessnas, but that's a personal preference.
I once owned a thirteenth part of one, the 140 HP variant, The beast was two years younger than myself. I did my PPL initial check in it with an examiner on-board. The handbrake stop mechanism was worn, so occasionally it would drop one notch down with a huge CLONK, which it of course did somewhere during the "climb-out". The examiner almost s... himself. I calmly said oops, sorry, don't worry, it does that once in a while, and re-extended. Thinking about it it was unfit for flight, imagine this happened just after rotation... Anyways, it's still flying around, now at the age of 56.
I particularly like the fact that in the PA28 you can pull and hold the flap lever beyond the last locking position and get an extra 5 degrees for 45 degree 'super-flap'. Great for getting rid of airspeed fast if carrying too much speed in a short field.
I admired the flap indicator on the Europa - black stripes on a 45 degree on the flap, uncovered as the flaps extend.
The system impresses with its simplicity - always a very good characteristic, not least in aviation - but it does require a supple neck.
The system impresses with its simplicity - always a very good characteristic, not least in aviation - but it does require a supple neck.
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I did this:
Many years ago, and am very happy with it. The 150 does not have the world's greatest flap position indicator from the factory. Mine still works, but this is easier to see...
Many years ago, and am very happy with it. The 150 does not have the world's greatest flap position indicator from the factory. Mine still works, but this is easier to see...
