Power or Flaps first

[Kirk]

She will climb better with 0 flaps, most light airplanes will.

Guess that depends on runway length and how tall the trees / hills are and definition of climb performance?

Flaps reduce the stall speed and allow for shorter takeoff roll, but also decrease the angle of climb due to the increase in drag....so you will be off the ground faster, but climb out at a lower angle when using flaps.

0 flaps will increase your takeoff roll, but also increase your climb angle once airborne due to the decreased drag.

Ahhhh hang on there. Check your AFM. For the M5-235 Best Angle of Climb (Vx) is with flaps 20. I imagine the other models are the same.

To the original question: I've always retracted flaps first @300 t0 400 AGL, then power reduction at 1000 to 1500 AGL. I can't see any advantage to reducing power first, except possibly noise abatement, and have never been taught to fly any single engine aircraft that way.

I have tried reducing power first and then climbing out at Vx for a noise abatement profile. I'm not sure how it afffected the noise footprint, but I didn't feel like it was climbing verry well.

Kirk

[a64pilot]

VX 1st notch, most all airplanes out there

VY 0 flaps, most all airplanes out there

Most airplanes out there, match flap degrees with max aileron deflection angle is the most lift before drag gets out of control, most airplanes. This should be real close to the first notch.

These are generalizations, don't try to make it too scientific, and it's light prop airplanes. For example I'm pretty sure the big engine, long winged Maules if lightly loaded and at low altitudes will climb steepest with two notches of flap, I don't know about the short winged, I assume the same? but load it up or put it in the mountains your back to one notch.
I wasn't specific as to what best means, to me it meant highest rate.

[Hottshot]

Just in my short experience the 180 Maule will do best wit one notch and the 235 will do better with no flap... again so far and I haven't gotten but a few hrs with the new long wing on the 235.

[aero101]

Vx or Best Angle is almost always with single notch of flaps which gets most altitude in shortest distance.. Vy or Best Rate will get you the most altitude over period of time. WUP- not sure, but think the long wing even with the 235 and long flaps will do best angle with a notch of flaps, just need to slow it down some which is hard cause it accelerates so QUICKLY and with long wing also CLIMBS SO FAST....

And back to original topic of post- up here with long noisey props, after any obstacles cleared, slowly return flaps to 0D while accelerating to Vy, then usually 25" / 2500RPM for initial climb out for noise abatement...

[Joe48]

Reducing power early has two advantages: It preserves the engine and the noise goes down as soon as you reduce your RPM. According to my manual I get the best angle of climb with flaps 2 and 75 MPH (speed depending on weight) and best angle of climb with flaps 1 (neutral) and 90 MPH.

So without obstacles I reduce power (and RPM) as soon as practicable and thereafter put the flaps up.

To get clear of obstacles I keep flaps at 2 and full power.

To gain altitude as soon as possible I reduce the flaps to neutral with max power.

Joe
M6-235 on floats[/u]

[N949JH]

Runways? What's a runway?

[YELLOWMAULE]

Mike, they're talking about that long flat thing with a line down the middle. I think.
Older set up for my little Round Tail: Take off first notch, occasionally, pop the second if I need to clear the brush/trees. Ooops, I mean lights/thresh hold. Reduce rpm once 70 mph is achieved or a good rate of climb. Depends on a lot of conditions.
Landing: reduce power gradually to about 16-18", prop in and first notch of flaps. Once on base/final, touch down point identified, second notch and reduce to 12-13"mp. Flare before the thresh hold/ touch down point at about 45mph. Touch the mains tail low and roll it into a wheel landing. Usually stopped in 200-250'. Ideal circumstances, too many variables involved.

[andy]

I raise the flaps after clearing nearby obstacles using Vx, then reduce to climb power and climb out at Vy. That gives me the most altitude in the shortest time while clearing obstacles and then allows for better engine cooling while climbing to cruise altitude.

[UP-M5]

if you live in a town full of greenies that is built around an airport that has hundreds of takeoffs and landings per day you screw the blue knob back AS SOON as the wheels leave the ground!

not a big deal in a maule, but the 185 and 206 guys get us all in trouble.

we even restrict the otters to 2000 rpm when taking off in town, just to "keep the peace"

[YELLOWMAULE]

Wow, next thing you know, they'll putting all kinds of restrictions on what you can or cannot hunt in town!
Jessh, Greenies!