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Refer to figure.
Which of the following statements is correct with regards to 1 and 2 in the annex above?

  • A

    2 has a lower CL but higher CD than 1.

  • B

    2 has a higher CL/CD than 1.

  • C

    1 has a higher CL/CD than 2.

  • D

    2 has higher CL than 1, but a higher CD.

Refer to figure. 
The figure shows 4 types of flaps:

  • Plain flap -The standard for many light aircraft, increases available lift and increases drag. Easy to manufacture, but much better options are available if aerodynamics are to be optimised.
  • Slotted flap - Lowering the slotted flaps creates a gap between the flap and the wing, allowing higher pressure air from the lower surface to flow over the flap, revitalizing the boundary layer. This postpones airflow separation on the upper surface of the flap. Slotted flaps provide a greater increase in CLmax compared to plain or split flaps, while generating less drag. However, their design necessitates a more intricate construction process.
  • Split flap - Increases drag heavily due to the open trailing edge. Very easy to manufacture.
  • Fowler flap - Complex to design and fit, but increase lift by a large amount due to the increased wing area and camber. Increase in drag over plain flaps is smaller than the increased lift, so they provide a high L/D ratio, and are often used in conjunction with multiple levels of slotted flaps on larger aircraft.

So from those descriptions, we can definitely see that type 2 (slotted) flaps have a much larger available CL than type 1 (plain) flaps with less drag.

As for the options:

  • “2 has a lower CL but higher CD than 1.” → INCORRECT. Slotted flaps (2) have a higher CL than plain flaps (1) , and with lower drag (CD).
  • “2 has a higher CL/CD than 1.” → CORRECT. We have described above how Flap 2 is superior to Flap 1 in both lift and drag, and therefore has a higher Lift to Drag ratio (CL/CD).
  • “1 has a higher CL/CD than 2.” → INCORRECT. This is the opposite of the correct answer above.
  • “2 has higher CL than 1, but a higher CD.” → INCORRECT. The higher CL was correct, but slotted flaps have lower drag than plain flaps in general.

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