Cessna 152 flaps?

[popaviator]

Does the C-152 have single slotted or fowler flaps?

[n57flyguy]

Fowler I believe

[mooneyguy]

To me they seem like fowler flaps, however the cessna afm's call them slotted flaps.

In reality, they probably are folwer slotted flaps. Since they actually match both types.

[n57flyguy]

Post editor haha

yeah they do look like fowler but thinking about it they are slotted as well.

[OregonTrail]

slowler flaps... pretty much covers it

[KVNC]

152 flaps are slotted and incorporate Fowler action over the first 10º.

[falconvalley]

Originally Posted by KVNC

152 flaps are slotted and incorporate Fowler action over the first 10º.

You're avatar is awesome! Where did you get it?

[Adler]

I always called them single slotted fowler flaps.

[Roger, Roger]

Both.

The POH says slotted.

But if you look at the definition of Fowler, and look at Cessna flaps, they are Fowler. Case closed.

[BillErvin]

They have combination slotted/Fowler depending on what setting your on

[tgrayson]

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.

[LatitudeDancer]

Even though the book just says slotted, to Fowler's defense, when you let the flaps all the way out, stand at the end of the wing and look back towards the fuselage and they do stick out (back) an extra inch or so. But for real Fowler flaps provide more action than just an inch or so.

But mention Fowler in front of some examiners and come under fire.

[Codyjp]

Originally Posted by tgrayson

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.

Seriously, you know your stuff! Nice work! I hope you get well compensated for your instruction.

[WalterSobchak]

I believe the correct answer is some where around who cares.........

[High_Alpha]

Originally Posted by tgrayson

They bear a superficial resemblance to Fowler flaps because they reside on tracks, but real Fowler flaps retract entirely into the wing.

I completely agree with you that the flaps on a Cessna are best described as slotted, but I'm curious as to what you mean by saying that Fowler flaps retract entirely into the wing. Even on airplanes with true Fowler flaps, you can still see a large portion of the flap when it's retracted, right?

[tgrayson]

Originally Posted by High_Alpha

Even on airplanes with true Fowler flaps, you can still see a large portion of the flap when it's retracted, right?

Here's a classic schematic of a Fowler flap:



In this diagram, the flap clearly fits snugly underneath the lip. It's a bit of a slippery slope to ask how much can stick out before it isn't a Fowler flap any more. Many of the more sophisticated double and triple slotted flaps on transport category aircraft aren't typically referred to as Fowler flaps, but they do have "Fowler motion". Here's a description of the movement of a Boeing 767's single slotted flaps:

As deployment begins and the aft link stars to push the flap up, the hinged beam rotates downward so that the net flap motion is limited to aft translation with very little downward motion. This action produces a slot, and the motion continues to persist for a large portion of flap travel, thus producing a great deal of Fowler motion at low flap angles. For flap angle of 15 degrees (maximum takeoff setting), 85 percent of the available overlap is converted into Fowler motion.

[GreenDayPilot]

Originally Posted by OregonTrail

slowler flaps... pretty much covers it

Yep.... ^ that! It's a combination of both, IMO

[LatitudeDancer]

The persons I've met who care are in Cessnas on their initial CFI rides and have to stop the show to take the DPE aside and prove it says "Fowler" no where in the POH because the DPE is convinced otherwise. I know more than one person who has had to do it. A lot of instructors teach they are Fowlers and I know some people who would have failed their ride if they couldn't prove to correct or incorrect DPEs if they were or weren't Fowlers.

[upup89]

The POH says single slotted so I'd keep it at that... Besides if you've ever took a real look at a fowler theres no mistaking that for what the 152 has.