parking with flaps in NEG7 position

[cj8vet]

Reading the thread re control lock position got me wondering if parking my MXT-180 with flaps set at neg7 would be best? sorry if I missed reading this in the POH
mark
merry christmas
mxt-180

[a64pilot]

I do but it's an attempt to keep me from hitting my head on them. I believe the older Maules without the neg flap setting had a cable that pulled the flap down and a spring returned the flaps when on the ground. On this type of flap there is nothing that positively holds the flaps, just a spring, so if the wind is blowing from the tail, your flaps can be beaten from full up to full down. My Cessna 140 is like this as well so it's not just a Maule thing. I wouldn't leave my flaps down because just as sure as you do somebody will open the rear door into the flap
If I had to leave my 140 outside I would fashion two thin boards with padding on them and a threaded rod with wingnuts to clamp my flaps to the ailerons thereby locking both flaps and ailerons. Thrush uses a long rubber padded clamp type of thing with a red streamer on it, I swiped two of them

[donknee]

The older Maules without the torque tube flap mechanism and the neg flaps came with gust locks to prevent the flaps from being beaten from full to full down. They can, however, be problematic. I made some locks that locked both the flaps and ailerons...piece of aluminum bent into a wedge shape with carpet padding inside, ties with bungee into place. Works fine, no moving parts, low tech solid state design.