Flaps auto retract

[raefly 0]

Hello,I am using FSX with SP2 and the 747-400X and am noticing auto retraction of flaps sometimes prior to takeoff and at other times on approach - is this is feature or a setting that I could deactivate.Falcon RaeCore i940 MSI X58 Pro | 6Gb Kingston 1600DDR3 | Geforce 285 2Gb | Windows 7

[raefly 0]

Hi,You're seeing what is called "automatic flap overspeed protection" activating. If you allow the airspeed to exceed the maximum allowable speed for a given flap setting, the 747's systems will automatically either retract the flaps and/or prevent them from deploying. This is a real feature on the actual 747. Pay extra attention to your flap retraction bug speeds on your airspeed indicator and also research the topic in the supplied flight operations manual. :)Signed,Aaron Isaacs

Hi Aaron,Thanks for your time taken to explain this to me - I am glad to hear this is a feature and will read up on this in more depth,Richard

[Shmiffy 0]

HiI may well be wrong, i'm just going to look through a couple of 744 op's manuals to confirm, but the only automated flap retraction that a 744 is capable of is when the reversers are unlocked and the leading edge retracts (retracted? i think it was disabled as a result of an FAA airworthiness directive after a BAW 747-436 almost ran out of runway at FAJS due to an erroneous rev unlk message) It's certainly not something that i have seen or heard of in the PMDG 744. I may be wrong though as i said. I would suggest that it is more likely that you have an erroneous keyboard command or axis going to your sim that is causing a flap retract.CheersPaulEdit: I note that there is an old thread on the Prune that PMDG's very own 'Q' has responded to. It would suggest that on the QF 744's there is indeed an automated flap retraction associated with the receipt of the > FLAP RELIEF message on the upper EICAS. I have cause a > FLAP RELIEF message to appear once or twice only within the PMDG 744 and that was a result of me not paying enough heed to the Flap Schedule on the PFD. I do not recall that the add-on started to retract my flaps for me though, so i would erringly suggest that it is not simulated on the PMDG Version of the aircraft. I can also not find any mention of it in the BAW B744 Manuals. It may just be an option that QF Took and BA didn't. I certainly wouldn't argue with Q's far superior knowledge though.Cheers P

[Qavion 19]

Speaking of the devil....It's more likely to be an accidental push of a button on a joystick (or a faulty joystick) which causes the flap movement, but it could be a combination of this and automatic flap retraction.There are two types of automatic flap retraction.Certain sections of the Leading Edge Flaps retract when (engine) reverse thrust is activated. This is to prevent damage to the leading edge flaps.The Leading Edge flaps are those which stick out in front of the wing (when deployed). Some airlines have had problems with Leading Edge Flaps retracting at important times during takeoff (due to a malfunction/mis-rigging).All 744's affected should now have had simple wiring modifications carried out to prevent this happening.The other type of flap retraction is due to automatic Flap Load Relief which occurs if your airspeed is too fast for the current flap setting. This only affects the Trailing Edge Flaps. This automatic flap retraction happens if your flap lever is in the Flap 30 or Flap 25 position, so your unwanted flap retraction shouldn't be happening during takeoff (Your flaps shouldn't be greater than 20 units for takeoff). This is why I think it is more likely to be a joystick problem. Make sure you haven't accidentally assigned the wrong (or duplicate) button to flap retraction.Cheers.Q>