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3.3. SHAPING THE WINGS 25
detents below, as they will be used in the maximum allowable flap deployment speeds. (Note that
the max allowable speeds are set in the Viewpoint menu, as described in Chapter 4, in the section
“Configuring Instrument Performance Ranges, Display Limits, and Colors”)
Beneath the “flaps are infinitely adjustable” checkbox is the flap deflection time parameter, as
seen in Figure 3.20. This sets the amount of time in seconds that it takes the flaps to go from fully
retracted to fully extended.
Beneath the flap deflection time is the number of flap detents (as seen in Figure 3.20). A detent
is a stopping place for the flaps, a middle-of-the-road between being totally retracted and totally
extended. General aviation aircraft might have only one or two stopping points, while airliners
might have many more.
Figure 3.20: The flap and slat detent characteristics and deflection time
Finally, beneath the number of detents are the detent parameters themselves—one set of detent
boxes for each flap and slat. Each box sets the flap/slat deflection in degrees at that detent. Note
that there is one more box here than the number of detents you set above. This is to account for
the “zeroth” detent, which in most aircraft will be a flap deflection of zero degrees.
For instance, in in Figure 3.20, three flap detents were set. Thus, there are four boxes for ”flap
1,” four boxes for ”slat 1,” and so on.
Adding Control Surfaces to the Wings
With the control surfaces (elevators, ailerons, rudders, flaps, etc.) all set up in the Control Geometry
dialog box, as described in the sections above, it’s time to actually add those control surfaces to