slats
Movable surfaces at the leading edge of the wing that extend to let the wing fly at a higher angle of attack.
Also written
slat
Slats delay the stall by re-energising the airflow over the top of the wing, which is what allows the nose-high attitude of a slow approach. They move with the flaps as part of the high-lift system, and on many types they run out and down on visible tracks.
Nearby in Aviation
- runway — The prepared strip an aircraft takes off from and lands on, numbered by its magnetic heading rounded to the nearest ten degrees.
- short final — The last part of final approach, close in to the runway threshold.
- special livery — A one-off or limited paint scheme applied to a single aircraft rather than the whole fleet.
- spoilers — Panels on the upper wing that rise to destroy lift and add drag, in flight for descent and on touchdown to plant the aircraft.