Slat

Slats are movable panels on the leading edge of an aircraft wing that extend forward and downward to increase the wing's camber and delay stall. They are a critical high-lift device used during takeoff, approach, and landing.

• Increase the wing's maximum angle of attack before stalling
• Allow the aircraft to fly at lower speeds without stalling
• Typically deployed together with trailing-edge flaps in specific configurations
• Fixed slats (no mechanism) exist on some aircraft — always extended
• Slat asymmetry (one side deployed, other retracted) is a critical emergency