![]() ![]() Leading-edge flaps are either fully retracted or fully extended. Unlike trailing-edge flaps, however, they have no intermediate position. Leading-edge flaps almost always extend simultaneously with deployment of trailing-edge flaps. One can think of a leading-edge flap as the blade of a bulldozer it forces more of the oncoming air to flow up and over the wing. When such a flap is extended, wing area and camber are increased, which improves lift capability at large angles of attack. It is essentially a flat or curved plate that, when retracted, lies flush with the underside of the leading edge of the wing. The simplest of these is the leading-edge flap, also known as a Krueger flap. There are several types of wing flaps, the four most common being plain, split, slotted, and Fowler flaps.Īircraft designers discovered a long time ago that similar improvements in slow-speed flight could be obtained by adding leading-edge devices. This allows for reduced takeoff and landing distances, and improves crash survivability. The purpose, of course, is to allow an airplane (or a bird) to fly safely at a relatively low speed. Each method accomplishes the same basic function it increases wing camber and usually increases wing area. But instead of rearranging feathers, the human pilot extends a set of flaps. When a bird approaches to land, it spreads its feathers and changes the shape of its wings, which is not unlike what a pilot does to an airplane before landing. ![]()
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