Definition
The cockpit control used by the pilot to extend or retract the wing flaps. Depending on the airplane, it may be a lever, a handle, or an electric switch with detents corresponding to specific flap settings such as up, takeoff, approach, and full.
Plain English
The control inside the cockpit the pilot uses to lower or raise the flaps on the wings.
Context Anchor
Seen during landing, after-landing, and takeoff procedures when the pilot sets or verifies the flap position.
Derivation
Flap comes from an older English word meaning something that hangs or moves loosely. That helps because airplane flaps are movable panels on the wing. Control comes from a word meaning to check or direct something; here it means the cockpit device the pilot uses to direct flap movement.
Why Pilots Care
Proper timing of flap retraction during the landing roll improves braking effectiveness and maintains directional control.
Intuition Check
Do not read flap control as control of the airplane by the flaps. Here it means the specific cockpit device used to move the flaps.
Example Sentence 1
After exiting the runway, the pilot positively identified the flap control before raising the flaps for taxi.
Example Sentence 2
On the before-takeoff checklist the pilot set the flap control to the ten-degree detent as required for the runway length.