Flight Crew Air Transport Pilot (ATP)
Situational Awareness
Aircraft Equipment Problem Less Severe; Deviation / Discrepancy - Procedural Published Material / Policy; Flight Deck / Cabin / Aircraft Event Other / Unknown
Flight Crew Became Reoriented
Aircraft; Human Factors
Ferry Permit required aircraft to be flown with flaps 20 at 15000 ft or below. After takeoff; Captain instinctively and without call began to retract flaps to 8. I signaled him to stop but they were already being retracted. Once at the 8 position I suggested they remain at 8 degrees since they were not supposed to be moved at all. Captain wanted to be in compliance with the Ferry Permit which required flaps to be at the 20 position so he extended the flaps back to 20. Moments later we received a Flaps Fail caution message. The rest of the flight went without incident. Flaps should be disabled for ferry requiring them to remain in position. That is the only solution to guard against the human factor. Muscle memory compels us to do many things in the flight deck.
CRJ-200 First Officer reported they were released for a ferry flight with flaps to be left at position 20; but they inadvertently retracted them to position 8.