Quote:
Originally Posted by popaviator  Does the C-152 have single slotted or fowler flaps? |
They bear a
superficial resemblance to Fowler flaps because they reside on tracks, but real Fowler flaps retract
entirely into the wing. Extending them dramatically expands the surface area of the wing, as well as extending the chordline, and the Cessna flaps just don't have this effect. The purpose of the track is solely to open up the slot, which would otherwise be rather ineffective.
The development of the flap is described by William Thompson in "Cessna, Wings for the World", and the author, former Manager of Test Flight for Cessna, is happy to call them slotted flaps. Aircraft manufacturers who actually install Fowler flaps take every opportunity to brag about them, so Cessna's silence should be highly suggestive.