Lowering flaps for easier access?

[Will.iam]

Do any of you lower your flaps so that passengers don’t accidentally step on the flap where it says no step? I had my aunt trip trying to raise her foot high enough and caught her tip of her shoe on the flap. Made me think had i left the flaps down the trailing edge would have been lower and she woukd have not caught her foot. 
I always remember my dad keeping the flaps up on our plane when i was a kid and i just wonder is there anything bad with leaving the flaps down for an extended period of time? Like over night etc. I. E. Is there tension on the flap system with them in the down postion?

[Mooneymite]

I have always left my flaps at the approach setting after landing [unless I'm going to be tying down over night).  This has prevented passengers from stepping on the trailing edge when entering/exiting and it also reduces the number of times my electric flaps are cycled since the flaps are pre-positioned for takeoff.

[mike_elliott]

56 minutes ago, Mooneymite said:

I have always left my flaps at the approach setting after landing [unless I'm going to be tying down over night).  This has prevented passengers from stepping on the trailing edge when entering/exiting and it also reduces the number of times my electric flaps are cycled since the flaps are pre-positioned for takeoff.

Gus, my dog taught me to leave the plane configured for TO so he could jump up on the wing walk easier. I discovered pax avoided stepping on the flap because if this, while in the past they would ignore verbal and written instructions not to. I do one thing different than you, prior to TO I'll cycle the flaps up then to full then back to TO to insure they and the limit switches work in all directions. There are no I'll effects to leaving the flaps in TO position in a hangar on the planes equipped with electric flaps. The older hydraulic flapped planes may have the seals leak in a shorter period of time, but that is only a guess of a possible detriment

 

[GeeBee]

I've done it several times with "newbies" to prevent accidents.

 

[ArtVandelay]

I always do, I don’t have a step, so I do it for myself.

[rbridges]

1 hour ago, mike_elliott said:

Gus, my dog taught me to leave the plane configured for TO so he could jump up on the wing walk easier. I discovered pax avoided stepping on the flap because if this, while in the past they would ignore verbal and written instructions not to. I do one thing different than you, prior to TO I'll cycle the flaps up then to full then back to TO to insure they and the limit switches work in all directions. There are no I'll effects to leaving the flaps in TO position in a hangar on the planes equipped with electric flaps. The older hydraulic flapped planes may have the seals leak in a shorter period of time, but that is only a guess of a possible detriment

 

I'm really the last person to give mechanical advice on a plane, but I don't think there's much load on a manual system with the flaps lowered and no air flow.  When I had my slow leak, the flaps would hold overnight but would slowly inch up with just the propwash at 1000rpm.

[Skates97]

1 hour ago, mike_elliott said:

Gus, my dog taught me to leave the plane configured for TO so he could jump up on the wing walk easier. I discovered pax avoided stepping on the flap because if this, while in the past they would ignore verbal and written instructions not to. I do one thing different than you, prior to TO I'll cycle the flaps up then to full then back to TO to insure they and the limit switches work in all directions. There are no I'll effects to leaving the flaps in TO position in a hangar on the planes equipped with electric flaps. The older hydraulic flapped planes may have the seals leak in a shorter period of time, but that is only a guess of a possible detriment

 

What I have read (it was on the internet so must be true) is that leaving the hydraulic flaps full down can cause issues if there is a temperature increase leading to the fluid expanding and putting pressure on the seals. I am thinking about times I have flown into AZ and it was nice and cool in the morning and significantly hotter in the afternoon. I suppose if they were left in TO position that would alleviate that problem as there would be room for het fluid to expand?

That being said, part of my pre-flight checklist is to lower the flaps and then check them on the walk around. They stay down and then on my pre-start checklist is raising the flaps so they are down when everyone is boarding. I do raise them after landing so they are up when people are getting out but that hasn't been an issue with them stepping on them as they are focused on not missing the step.

[KB4]

Doesn't help much when unloading unless you climb over passenger and set this up (I have done that for older pass) or loading front pass cause 1 door.  But for pilot going in and out to test lights, get ipad or stratus or pull the fuel ring, it sure beats trying to step on a 6 inch step. It sits just about the same height as the step.  Just move it back near the step so you DO NOT extend flaps into it during preflight.  $30 at Harbor Freight

  

[takair]

I will occasionally partially extend the flaps when new people are boarding. Older hydraulic equipped flaps should not be left full down.  This picture from the manual.  

[flysamo]

my mooney is electric flaps, where is hydraulic, must be brand x

[McMooney]

6 hours ago, ArtVandelay said:

I always do, I don’t have a step, so I do it for myself.

How much speed did you get from removing the step?  My hangar fairy has been lazy about removing mine

[Hank]

12 minutes ago, flysamo said:

my mooney is electric flaps, where is hydraulic, must be brand x

Mooney went all electric in 1969. Not sure when electric flaps and gear became available as an option.

There are still thousands of Mooneys flying with hydraulic flaps and/or manual gear.