Flaps/Slats down during turn-around
Thread Starter
Joined: May 2008
Posts: 634
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From: Europe
Flaps/Slats down during turn-around
I've noticed a number of carriers, LX and OS to name two, not fully retracting flaps and slats during turn-arounds.
What are the benefits of this (I'm assuming less wear and tear on motors and bearings), and is it possible to quantify it? Furthermore, there is bound to be downsides to this procedure, and I'm equally interested in hearing what they may be.
What are the benefits of this (I'm assuming less wear and tear on motors and bearings), and is it possible to quantify it? Furthermore, there is bound to be downsides to this procedure, and I'm equally interested in hearing what they may be.
Bottums Up
Joined: Feb 2000
Posts: 3,440
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From: dunnunda
On the B717 it is not unusual to see flaps and/or slats droop during turn around, due essentially hydraulic pressure bleeding off with no power source.
The danger of them being down during ramp activity is that the clearance below the wing is reduced and the chances of damage increased.
The danger of them being down during ramp activity is that the clearance below the wing is reduced and the chances of damage increased.
Joined: Jan 2006
Posts: 107
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From: USA
Furthermore, there is bound to be downsides to this procedure, and I'm equally interested in hearing what they may be.
Joined: Oct 2003
Posts: 16
Likes: 0
From: Inverted
In the Airbus 320 family, as compressor stall said, you should keep the flaps at 1 to avoid "AIR L(R) WING LEAK" message on ECAM.
There is another scenario you shouldn't retract the flaps, and that is when the approach was made under icing conditions or, if the runway was contaminated with slush or snow.
In this case you should taxi with landing configuration (normally flaps full) to the gate, shut down the engines, and have the flaps/slats area inspected by ground personnel. If there is no ice obstructing the area, you may retract the slats/flaps normally.
Don't know if there is a specific procedure for Boeing aircraft though...
Antunes
There is another scenario you shouldn't retract the flaps, and that is when the approach was made under icing conditions or, if the runway was contaminated with slush or snow.
In this case you should taxi with landing configuration (normally flaps full) to the gate, shut down the engines, and have the flaps/slats area inspected by ground personnel. If there is no ice obstructing the area, you may retract the slats/flaps normally.
Don't know if there is a specific procedure for Boeing aircraft though...
Antunes
Joined: Jun 2006
Posts: 240
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From: B.F.E.
On our typical 8-sector day (flying the lowly Dash-8
), part of the After-Landing checklist is to set the flaps to the takeoff setting for the next departure (it is checked again on the subsequent After-Start). This serves to save unneeded cycles on the Flap Power Unit, and double-assures that the flaps will be set properly for the field length of the next takeoff, as we operate into a combination of short and longer runways on any given day. Ice is not a factor in our area of the world, and the high wing keeps the flaps out of the way of potential FOD.
), part of the After-Landing checklist is to set the flaps to the takeoff setting for the next departure (it is checked again on the subsequent After-Start). This serves to save unneeded cycles on the Flap Power Unit, and double-assures that the flaps will be set properly for the field length of the next takeoff, as we operate into a combination of short and longer runways on any given day. Ice is not a factor in our area of the world, and the high wing keeps the flaps out of the way of potential FOD.
