Which statement about flap usage during approach is true?

• A. It enables steeper approaches without increasing airspeed
• B. It increases airspeed
• C. It decreases lift
• D. It delays stall

Answer: (A)

Flaps change the lift and drag produced by the wing, which directly affects how you approach the runway. When flaps are extended, the wing can generate more lift at the same airspeed and also produces more drag. That combination lets you fly a steeper descent path while keeping your indicated airspeed on target. In practice, this means you can descend more steeply without speeding up, which is especially useful for a stable, controlled approach and a shorter final path to landing.

Because the extra lift lets you operate safely at lower speeds, stall speed is reduced, giving you a bigger margin at slower approaches. However, that doesn’t mean flaps delay the stall—the key effect during approach is enabling a steeper path without increasing airspeed.

So the statement that best describes flap usage on approach is that it enables a steeper approach without increasing airspeed. In gliders, a similar concept applies with airbrakes to steepen the approach, though the mechanism is drag rather than lift.