diff --git a/src/FDM/ExternalNet.cxx b/src/FDM/ExternalNet.cxx
index 97374d84e..160dc2f83 100644
--- a/src/FDM/ExternalNet.cxx
+++ b/src/FDM/ExternalNet.cxx
@@ -149,8 +149,8 @@ static void net2global( FGNetFDM *net ) {
     }
 
     net->num_wheels = htonl(net->num_wheels);
-
     // I don't need to convert the Wow flags, since they are one byte in size
+    htond(net->flap_deflection);
 
     net->cur_time = ntohl(net->cur_time);
     net->warp = ntohl(net->warp);
@@ -213,6 +213,8 @@ static void net2global( FGNetFDM *net ) {
 	    node->setDoubleValue("wow", net->wow[i] );
 	}
 
+        fgSetDouble("/surface-positions/flap-pos-norm", net->flap_deflection);
+
 	/* these are ignored for now  ... */
 	/*
 	if ( net->cur_time ) {
diff --git a/src/Network/net_fdm.hxx b/src/Network/net_fdm.hxx
index e40b7916a..2363f2928 100644
--- a/src/Network/net_fdm.hxx
+++ b/src/Network/net_fdm.hxx
@@ -32,7 +32,7 @@
 
 #include <time.h> // time_t
 
-const int FG_NET_FDM_VERSION = 6;
+const int FG_NET_FDM_VERSION = 7;
 
 
 // Define a structure containing the top level flight dynamics model
@@ -88,9 +88,10 @@ public:
     int num_tanks;		// Max number of fuel tanks
     double fuel_quantity[FG_MAX_TANKS];
 
-    // Gear status
+    // Gear and flaps status
     int num_wheels;
     bool wow[FG_MAX_WHEELS];
+    double flap_deflection;     // normalized from 0 = up to 1 = full deflection
 
     // Environment
     time_t cur_time;            // current unix time