Wing flaps are movable surfaces located on the trailing edge of the wings and are typically deployed during specific phases of takeoff and landing. The majority of planes have these, whether jets or turboprop.

The flaps are controlled from the cockpit, and they play a crucial role in ensuring the aircraft can perform as well as possible during take-off, while landing, and various operational phases in between.

Very simply put, the flap boosts lift, allowing a pilot to fly at lower speeds and maintain slower, safer speeds.

At slow speeds, the flaps drop, increasing the camber and surface area of the wing. The angle of the flap also creates a high angle of attack. That’s the angle at which the air meets the wing. The more pronounced the angle, the greater the lift.

Interestingly, the angle of the flap can also cause drag on the plane. This means the plane will move slower, which is useful when you’re attempting to land.

In both cases, the flaps change the angle, surface area, and drag or lift – effectively creating the right conditions to aid landings and take-offs.

Although flaps are fitted to almost all planes, they are especially beneficial to turboprop aircraft. These planes are already built to land and take-off on smaller and shorter runways. The contribution of flaps to short-field performance enhances operational flexibility, supporting safe and efficient operations on regional routes.

This capability aligns with the broader objectives of the regional aviation industry to improve access to smaller destinations and reinforce regional connectivity.

There are several types of wing flaps, each designed to balance lift augmentation and aerodynamic efficiency.

Plain Flaps
These flaps start at the trailing edge of the wing. When used, they angle downward to boost lift. This also increases drag, which can make take-offs harder.

However, this is the simplest design, offering robustness and mechanical reliability that make them a dependable solution in a variety of operational contexts.

Split Flaps
Split flaps are joined to the aircraft on the underside of the wing. This makes them much more discreet and allows the plane to have aerodynamically smoother lines. Deploying split flaps creates an abrupt change, specifically they cause a lot of drag while boosting lift.

Today they are rarely used, but they often appear on vintage aircraft.

Slotted Flaps
Slotted flaps are fitted to the trailing edge of the wing. As their name suggests, these flaps have slots, holes, or some other form of gap, built into them.
This effectively creates the same lift as plain flaps, while reducing the amount of drag created. Because of the slots, these flaps can be operated at a much sharper angle, increasing the angle of attack and boosting lift.

Fowler Flaps
These ingenious flaps are mounted on rails. When used, they slide backward and then fold downward. This boosts camber in the same way as the previous flaps and also increases the surface area of the wing, improving lift in a more pronounced manner than other flap types.
Because these flaps slide backwards, a slot is generated between them and the wing, which allows better air movement, decreasing drag.