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should i park with flaps up or down?

david.perl

david.perl

Well Known Member
I have recently assembled my 7A and am awaiting permit to test papers.

Do i park with flaps up or down?

thxs
 
I personally always park "flaps down". Easier to step up onto wing, less danger of someone stepping on the flap, and better access to flap pushrods during pre-flight.
 
I live on a grass strip so I always us 1/3 flaps for departure. Thus, when I'm rolling out I retract 2/3rds of my flaps and taxi home that way. As Mel mentio, it makes checking the rod end easier during the preflight.
 
Do i park with flaps up or down?
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My advice would be neither :eek: But in between
Up is conducive to Flap Damage / difficulty in getting in and out.

Down is vulnerable to a "knock" to the flap dislodging the LE from the wing skin. Unnoticed, and motored up will spoil your day :(

So on an RV with the deluxe fully variable flap setting system (aka a simple up/down switch) I'd have them a little up from fully down. On a fancy preset system, 1 setting up from down.
 
If you were successful in getting your flap fuselage joint, flaps, ailerons and tips in perfect alignment in all directions then certainly park with the flaps up and show off :D

Mine are, but I still park with them down because its easier to step onto the wing. :(
 
Some years ago I parked at our local open house with the flaps up because it looked nice. Dumb! When I returned there were small foot prints on the L/S flap. No damage but I got the message. Now the Baby is always parked with flaps down. Larry
 
Andy Hill said:
Down is vulnerable to a "knock" to the flap dislodging the LE from the wing skin. Unnoticed, and motored up will spoil your day :(
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I have my "full down" flap setting set to 38?, so the accidental flap dislodging problem is avoided.
 
Always down

I park with flaps always down.

As others have said, easier to get in and out plus less likely to damage flap with feet. Have a paint chip in right flap trailing edge where pax boot hook caught it with flap up.

Manual flaps no issue going up or down but many with electric flaps do not want to cycle more than needed as have been told that the electric flaps only have so many operations before they die. Only seen one die so far so not sure if this is true.
 
It varies. Up, when hangared at home, cause that's the way I taxi in. Why wear the mechanism out? Stepping up or off isn't a problem for me.

Down, parked at an unsecured airport where the curious may step on the flaps. And I never, ever land at an airport having an open house/airshow/etc where the hoi polloi wander about.

Up, at a secured airport, if there's a concern about bugs making a home overnight.

Down - lowered - for my wife's ingress/egress, or any other non-pilot.

In all down cases, to the stop then up a few degrees to prevent snagging the wing skin.

Most at OSH are parked up, despite the near-universal response to this thread saying "down".

Go figure.

John Siebold
 
Always down. Hit up switch while putting on seat belts before engine start.

Mel said:
I have my "full down" flap setting set to 38°, so the accidental flap dislodging problem is avoided.
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What he said.
 
Andy Hill said:
My advice would be neither :eek: But in between
Up is conducive to Flap Damage / difficulty in getting in and out.

Down is vulnerable to a "knock" to the flap dislodging the LE from the wing skin. Unnoticed, and motored up will spoil your day :(

So on an RV with the deluxe fully variable flap setting system (aka a simple up/down switch) I'd have them a little up from fully down. On a fancy preset system, 1 setting up from down.
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I concur with Andy here.

My RV partner at the time, Patty, after stopping for fuel on the flight home, heard a BANG when she put the flaps up. Inspection showed that the leading edge got caught, bent and otherwise mangled.

It was fine to fly home after being forced under and flaps brought all the way up.

Took a bit of work, but I was finally able to fix it. Now, I try to make sure that it they are partially down.
 
I have the bottom of the flaps painted with a checker pattern. So they must be partway down to show That off.
 
Flight Instructor

Local Flight Instructor told me (BFR) that I could retract my flaps after landing and taxing because that was an indicating to the Control Tower that I was being high jacked. Maybe he was pulling my chain, and I still leave my flaps down.
 
Squeak said:
Local Flight Instructor told me (BFR) that I could retract my flaps after landing and taxing because that was an indicating to the Control Tower that I was being high jacked. Maybe he was pulling my chain, and I still leave my flaps down.
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Don't think he was joking because I read many years ago that taxiing with flaps down was a "hijacking" signal. But I taxi with flaps retracted to reduce the chance of damage from debris that might be kicked up by the prop.
 
Squeak said:
Local Flight Instructor told me (BFR) that I could retract my flaps after landing and taxing because that was an indicating to the Control Tower that I was being high jacked. Maybe he was pulling my chain, and I still leave my flaps down.
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Don't think he was joking because I read many years ago that taxiing with flaps down was a "hijacking" signal. But I taxi with flaps retracted to reduce the chance of damage from debris that might be kicked up by the prop. They go back down after the engine stops.
 
Sam Buchanan said:
Don't think he was joking because I read many years ago that taxiing with flaps down was a "hijacking" signal. But I taxi with flaps retracted to reduce the chance of damage from debris that might be kicked up by the prop. They go back down after the engine stops.
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I actually go one step further. I retract the flaps immediately on touchdown to enhance braking. Note; this practice is not prudent in some aircraft.
 
Squeak said:
Local Flight Instructor told me (BFR) that I could retract my flaps after landing and taxing because that was an indicating to the Control Tower that I was being high jacked. Maybe he was pulling my chain, and I still leave my flaps down.
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Not saying that this isn't some sort of code, however it is pretty much useless if only ATC knows about it and no pilot is ever taught it. Been flying for over 25 years and this is the first time I ever heard of it and have never seen it in writing. I do realize that I'm only a private pilot (ASEL) and maybe this is a part 121 thing.
 
It is 121 thing. I doubt that a controller would ever consider calling the cavalry for an RV that left his flaps down.
 
First items on the "start" checklist.

1. Master ON
2. Flaps off

and when I shut down, I push the "down" button as I pull the mixture control to idle cut off.

That's the way Tom Berge told me and I never against Tom Berge's advice.
 
Steve Melton said:
I put the flaps up if I'm tied down in a high wind environment. otherwise flaps down.
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Spot on.

I park with flaps down for ease of entry and egress. Prior to start in my checklist I clean/retract the flaps. And after landing and as feasibly possible, I clean the flaps to avoid any debris damage.
 
LettersFromFlyoverCountry said:
First items on the "start" checklist.

1. Master ON
2. Flaps off

and when I shut down, I push the "down" button as I pull the mixture control to idle cut off.

That's the way Tom Berge told me and I never against Tom Berge's advice.
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I prefer to park with the flaps down and taxi with them up. I leave them on at all times.
 
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