Flaps won't retract

[lsearcy]

I flew to Nashville this morning without any problems (one of the prettiest days of flying ever by the way). I set flaps for takeoff and retracted them fine after takeoff.  I landed 3 hours later at John Tune airport in Nashville and retracted the flaps after landing...or so I thought.  I parked and realized the flaps were still deployed.  I tried to retract them, and no joy.  I reset the breaker and again no joy. I have turned it over to Cumberland Aviation to look at it but would appreciated any ideas.

 

Thanks

[Mooneymite]

Any symptoms?

 

Can you hear the flap motor run?

Are you getting a dip on the ammeter?

Any possibility the switch needed wiggling?

 

Clues?

[carusoam]

Did the breaker need resetting?

Do you know how to clean the position switches behind the belly panel?

Rough ideas, at best...

Good luck,

-a-

[lsearcy]

No gear motor running. Silence. I did not check the ammeter.  Hopefully just the switch.

[Marauder]

I have had my fair share of fun with the Klixon breakers. When you said you "reset" it, did you do it just once? I have exercised mine a number of times. I have learned that when the white labels begin looking dirty white, they are high on my list of usual suspects (take a look at the gear and stall warning breakers to see what I mean).

My flap and stall warning breakers were both replaced in the last 2 years.

[N201MKTurbo]

Just grab your flaps and shake them, they will go up.

Sent from my LG-C800 using Tapatalk 2

[laytonl]

Most likely its gummed up micro switches. A quick fix may be to grab the flaps and give them a shake, which may bump the switches loose. Lee

[Mooneymite]

Is there an echo on this thread?

[M016576]

Is there an echo on this thread?

Got stuck in the repeater.

[PTK]

Speaking of flaps, after landing if I've used full flaps, my practice is to retract them only to t/o position until next flight. This saves the flaps motor some cycles.

Does anybody else do this?

[TWinter]

PTK, Yes I do..retract after every landing. Usually while I'm rolling out.,Trying to save some tread and brake wear.

[helitim]

PTK, I take it one step further by leaving the flaps down for parking. Keeps pax from stepping on them while boarding even though there is a large "NO STEP" sticker there.

[carusoam]

Intentionally taxiing with flaps down has lost it's official meaning?

Best regards,

-a-

[PTK]

PTK, I take it one step further by leaving the flaps down for parking. Keeps pax from stepping on them while boarding even though there is a large "NO STEP" sticker there.

Helitim, this is what I meant. I leave them at t/o setting and taxi to park until next flight. I figure it saves some cycles on the motor and as you say no one should be inclined to step on them!

[mike_elliott]

I'll leave them at full flaps, as it prevents them from being stepped on. During the checklist for pretakeoff, I'll raise them to the up position, then lower them to takeoff position. This tests the system in both directions, and keeps them from being used as a step. YMMV

[lsearcy]

UPDATE: Cumberland Avionics - the shop at John Tune Airport tested the flaps repeatedly and did not find a problem on initial inspection.  They went a little farther and checked the flap limit switch and when removed if fell apart in their hands.  The switch was replaced and flaps operated correctly when checked.  I took off and flew the 2.5 hours back to Louisiana. Flaps deployed on takeoff fine and retracted from takeoff position fine.  Landed with full flaps and the stuck again. I shook the flaps as instructed and the flaps retracted.  

 

A few more questions:  (1) did I just get hosed by the shop in Tennessee?  (2) Since they only failed when deployed all the way down and after being in the air for 2+ hours (both circumstances), can heat, or running the airplane for extended period have anything to do with this?

[N201MKTurbo]

There are two limit switches. One for the up limit and one for the down limit. Which one did they replace?

 

FWIW when mine started acting up, I found 5 switches (part number from Mooney parts manual) on EBAY for $10.00 for the lot.

 

The switches should not care about heat or altitude. They are just little microswitches with roller arms. When the doughnut looking thingy hits the up limit it opens the circuit in the up direction. When it hits the down limit it opens the circuit in the down direction. So for the flaps to go up the up limit must be closed. The up limit switch should have been replaced, or at least cleaned until it worked.

[KSMooniac]

I agree with N201MKTurbo.  Sounds like you need to at least clean or replace the other limit switch.  It is right next to the one that was replaced, and hopefully the shop checked it out too since they're both in the same environment and subject to the same cycles.

[adamsboomer]

Remember what flaps down means everybody. Luckily our flaps are quite small and unnoticeable.

[triple8s]

Ok ......... I'll bite........what does it mean?

[triple8s]

Ahhh

[ArtVandelay]

Strictly speaking, taxiing with flaps down is a way of signaling that you have been hijacked.

Jim

Really?! I guess this was before radios and transponders.

[Mooneymite]

Actually, I thought this went away long ago. I haven't heard tower inquire about flaps in twenty years.

[carusoam]

Same, training in the 90's...

I was reviewing my old text this morning. Unable to find a reference....

best regards,

-a-

[Tommy]

Probably best to retract the flaps when doing the run ups to avoid rocks hitting them?