Flap Setting for Landing

[gassed budgie]

Normal landing approaches can be made with power-on or power-off, with any flap setting desired.

The above is straight out of the 172 POH (1978 172N). That's what Cessna recomends, but you'll generally find people sliding down final at 65 to 70kts with full flap. I tend to use 30 degrees of flap at 65kts, it just feels right (to me). I find with 40 degrees of flap it takes a fair bit of power to drag the poor ol' girl down final and when you get there it takes a bit more of a tug on the yoke to round out and hold off. For short fielders it's 55kts and full flaps for me, 60kts if it's a bit blustery.
It goes on to say.....

Steep slips should be avoided with flap settings greater than 20 degrees due to a slight tendency for the elevator to oscillate under certain combinations of airspeed, sideslip angle and centre of gravity loadings.

a bit further on........

If flap settings greater than 20 degrees are used in side slips with full rudder deflection, some elevator oscillation maybe felt at normal approach speeds. However, this does not affect the control of the airplane.

It doesn't say that slips with full flaps are prohibited, only that they should be avoided. And so they should if that's what the manufacturer recomends. It may be different in the later 172's built after 1996. The laywers wrote the POH's and they recomend you don't set foot in the aircraft as it may lead to serious injury or death! One more.......

The maximum allowable crosswind velocity is dependant upon pilot capability as well as aircraft limitations. With average pilot technique, direct crosswind landings of 15kts can be handled with safety.

Again it might be different in the later 172's (someone might be able to enlighten me on that) but there is no maximum crosswind or maximum demonstrated crosswind component quoted in the POH. From experience I can say that once you get to 23 to 24kts, that's it. No more rudder left to play with.
One other thing regards crosswind landings. It seems to me today that the newer generation of young pilots coming up through GA, seem not to be able to successfully negotiate their way through a crosswinder which is a real shame. The technique is simple and relatively easy to master with practice. It seems as though they were never shown in the first place.
And one other thing while I'm thinking of it. Flap travel was limited to 30 degrees on the 172P and later models because the gross weight was increased by 100lbs (and more in other applications). Under the certification criteria the aircraft must meet certain climb gradient parametrs with full flap. Hence the reduced setting at the higher gross weights.

[Cloud Cutter]

That IS the max demonstrated crosswind (15 Kts). There is no max crosswind.

[pakeha-boy]

mate...use flaps 40 for sure as other posts have reccommended........but on short runways.....practice dropping the flaps to 30 in the flare,..itll get you on the deck real quick and makes for a brilliant landing...(old bush trick)....reckon this wll get a raise out of a few boys ...PB

CC ....good point...all max crosswinds are 'Demonstrated"

[haughtney1]

PB....

What about just as you flare..ya dump the bloody lot (manual flap)

Works on a REALLY short strip (usually in a 180/185 )

[pakeha-boy]

..great minds ...think alike. .....cheers mate

[pall]

A Big Thanks!!

Thanks to all posters. This has been a great discussion. I have learned heaps from it. You can't beat experience. This is pprune at its best.