I summarize the 1-35 flaps thusly: it is neither necessary nor abnormal to use full flap in a typical land-at-home situation. Sure nice to have those flaps and skid landing off-airport (7x for me).


Except in extraordinary gusty conditions &c., I settled into flying downwind at 700' and selecting full flap on base in the C model after gaining about 50 of my 300+ hours in type. Mainly because I am lazy and there's no detent other than full.

Downwind that low put me out of sight behind trees, though, and in spite of my having a radio, a student wing-runner launched an opposite-direction tow as I was turning base. Whatever.