If a decision is made to continue takeoff after tire failure, what should be done with the gear and flaps?

When a decision is made to continue takeoff after a tire failure, the approach generally taken is to leave the landing gear and flaps as they are, which corresponds to the choice of not making any changes. The reason for this is to maintain control and stability during the critical phase of takeoff.

If the landing gear were to be retracted, it could worsen the situation by increasing drag and lowering the aircraft's performance capability, especially important when dealing with asymmetric handling characteristics that may arise due to a tire failure. Lowering the flaps immediately can lead to an undesired increase in lift and drag, which is not advisable when trying to stabilize the flight after a malfunction. Increasing the power setting, while it might seem logical to gain altitude quickly, can complicate the situation if the aircraft has handling issues due to the tire failure.

Thus, keeping the gear and flaps in their current configuration allows the pilot to maintain optimal aircraft control and reduces the risks associated with further adjustments during a critical phase of flight.