What Are Flaps and Leading Edge Slats?

For immensely heavy aircraft to reliably achieve flight, they must be able to create a significant amount of lift. Lift is generally produced with the assistance of various flight surfaces, the most notable and important being the wing structures. Nevertheless, countless advancements have been made to improve the lift generating capabilities of wings, those of which have also improved the ability of a pilot to better control the vehicle during various flight phases. Leading edge slats and flaps are two common devices that may be found on aircraft of all types, and they benefit pilots in terms of lift and directional control. As having a general understanding of both of these devices is important for any current or prospective pilot, we will discuss their functionality and design in brief detail.

Flaps are the more well-known device between the two, and they are primarily used for managing the amount of lift that the wing is able to produce. Flaps can be understood as a type of adjustable surface that is located on the outer trailing edge of the wing structure, situated between the ailerons and fuselage. When a pilot deploys the flaps, the wing will be capable of producing more lift than it would by itself. As such, if an aircraft has wing structures that are specifically designed for travel at higher speeds, the use of flaps can allow them to still create a sufficient amount of lift while traveling slower. During a standard flight operation, flaps will generally be slightly deployed during takeoff, undeployed during cruise speeds, slightly deployed for steep scents, and fully deployed during the landing process.

The point of using partial flaps during some phases is that it allows for more lift while deterring a steep rise in drag. Meanwhile, full deployment while landing can be highly beneficial as it allows for a very slow approach while maintaining a safe attitude for the aircraft. Depending on the type of aircraft one is discussing and its application, a variety of flap types may be featured, each with varying shapes and sizes. In some instances, flaps may not even be featured.

Slots are fairly similar to flaps, though rather than being near the back of the wing, they are situated on the leading edge. When a plane features slats, the aircraft wings will have a forward edge that moves forward and down, bolstering the overall camber of the structure. The slats themselves are also curved during normal flight, greatly increasing the curve of the wing when they are extended. The greater the camber of aircraft wings is, the more lift they will be able to produce. While many slats are electrically operated for ample control from within the cockpit, some assemblies may be aerodynamically activated to make operation more automatic.

Alongside such flight surfaces, there are other various devices that assist in lift and flight control. Examples of these include vortex generator devices, cuffs, and slots. If you are an aircraft owner or operator that is in the market for various components, we have you covered here on ASAP NSN Parts with over 2 billion new, used, obsolete, and hard-to-find components that cater to a diverse set of operations.

Owned and operated by ASAP Semiconductor, we proudly conduct business with AS9120B, ISO 9001:2015, and FAA AC 00-56B accreditation. That means you can rest easy knowing that each and every purchase you make with us guarantees you high caliber parts that trace back to a reputable source that we trust. If you find particular items on our database that you are interested in, you can always use our online RFQ form to quickly request quotes for your comparisons. Once our team receives and reviews a completed form, an industry expert will personally reach out to you to provide a customized quote that caters to your unique constraints in just 15 minutes or less. Get in touch with a team member by phone or email today and see how we can serve as your strategic sourcing partner for all your operational needs.

1. john parker
2. Posted on August 16, 2022
aircrafts

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