Does it help an airplane climb if you deflect the flap a little bit?
In a word, no.
Do Flaps Make Lift?
A common thought is that deploying wing flaps will improve climb rate. But is it true?
Key Takeaways:
- Deflecting flaps does not help an airplane climb; climbing is due to excess power, not excess lift.
- Flap deflection slightly increases drag, which tends to reduce climb rate, counteracting the misconception that increased lift would aid climbing.
- While a small amount of flap deflection lowers the stalling speed, this provides only an imperceptible safety margin for maneuvers close to stall speed (like best angle of climb or minimum-radius turns) and offers no benefit for best rate of climb.
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