Definition
The selected position of the wing flaps, expressed either in degrees of deflection (e.g., 10°, 20°, 30°) or by detent labels such as UP, TAKEOFF, APPROACH, and LANDING. Each setting changes the wing's lift and drag characteristics, the stalling angle of attack, and the airplane's pitch attitude for a given airspeed.
Plain English
How far the flaps are extended. The pilot picks a position — none, partial, or full — and that choice changes how the wing behaves during takeoff, approach, and landing.
Context Anchor
Pilots encounter flap setting in checklists, takeoff and landing procedures, and discussions of how flap position changes the way the airplane flies at slower speeds.
Derivation
“Flap” comes from the idea of something that hangs or moves back and forth. “Setting” means a chosen position. Together, the term points to the chosen position of a movable wing surface.
Why Pilots Care
Directly affects stall speed, approach angle, required runway length, and climb performance after takeoff or during a go-around.
Grounding Statement
Changing the flap setting changes the wing’s shape, so the airplane can usually fly slower but also creates more air resistance.
Intuition Check
Do not read “setting” as just a checklist item or a general preference. In this term, it means the actual selected flap position, and different airplanes may show those positions in different ways.
Example Sentence 1
On short final, the pilot selected the full flap setting for a steeper descent and slower touchdown speed.
Example Sentence 2
During the go-around the pilot retracted the flaps to the 10-degree setting to reduce drag and improve climb performance.