Ask an Explainer

Q:

Do the flaps on an aircraft just reduce the speed of an aircraft or is there anything else that they do?

A:

The flaps on aircrafts do a couple of important things. The flaps and the slats, movable pieces on the front of the wings, work together to change the shape of the wing. One thing they can do is increase the area of the wing which increases the lift. Another function of the flaps is to increase drag to help slow the aircraft down. 

Ask an Explainer
Categories: