Wing leading edge flap and method therefor

A leading edge flap system for a wing, the flap system comprising:

• a. a wing leading edge having an upper corner surface and a lower nose surface;
• b. a flap having an upper trailing edge and a lower trailing edge that has a rearward extending portion with a rearward dimension;
• c. means, connected to the wing, for supporting the flap from the wing leading edge in a manner that the flap is allowed to rotate relative to the wing leading edge;
• d. means, connected to the wing, for rotating the flap relative to the wing leading edge between (i) a retracted position where the rearward extending portion of the flap lower trailing edge is located adjacent to the lower nose surface of the wing leading edge so as to prevent a flow of air therebetween, and (ii) an extended position such that there is a first gap between the rearward extending portion of the flap lower trailing edge and the wing leading edge lower nose surface and a second gap between the flap upper trailing edge and the wing leading edge upper corner surface wherein the first and second gaps have sizes that permit a flow of air to enter the first gap and exit the second gap;
• and
• e. the wing leading edge being further characterized by the upper corner surface having a radius that is between about four and about six times larger than a radius of the lower nose surface so that the lower nose surface projects sufficiently forward in order to minimize the rearward dimension of the flap lower trailing edge rearward extending portion for preventing the flow of air in the retracted position.