How do flaps affect directional control in a multi-engine airplane? Do they increase directional control (decrease Vmc) or vice versa? This is assuming all other factors are equal, unless of course flaps directly change some other factor... This has been an ongoing thing at my flight school, and there seems to be no consensus between any of the instructors. Everyone has their own explanations (some make sense, some don't), but ultimately this still leaves me at a loss of what to acknowledge and understand as far as flaps and Vmc.
The flight school I work at has a horrible mentality of teaching the absolute bare minimum. I literally asked around and the majority response I got was "your students don't need to know that, so don't worry about it." This kind of thinking really bothers me because it hinders any further learning or application-based knowledge... I don't necessarily plan on going into every little detail with my students, but I myself at least would like to know for my benefit, or even be able to answer any questions they may have about it.
Here's what I DO know: I've done an experiment in a Beech Duchess (counter rotating) where I maintained a constant airspeed at a constant altitude, gear up, both cowl flaps closed (up), placed one engine to idle, and the other to full power, maintaining heading. Afterwards I brought the flaps completely down from their upmost position, and what I've found as they were coming down is that I had to use more rudder input to maintain heading, and less once I fully retracted them. I pitched up/down accordingly to maintain a constant airspeed as I changed flap settings (still at same altitude). I tried this multiple times, each with the same result. I only had the opportunity to try it in a Duchess, not in any other aircraft.
One of the other instructors at my flight school said that my experiment was inadequate because I wasn't actually at Vmc to know how it affects directional control.... Am I not correct in understanding that if you require more input to maintain control at a higher speed, then your Vmc increases by definition? I've heard so many different explanations for flaps affecting Vmc, and most of them saying the opposite of what I actually experienced. Prior to that experiment, I thought the same thing myself, but now I'm just confused.... I'm very strong in math and aerodynamics, so I'd love to hear some lengthier explanations from experts too.
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