The ability to model accurately and efficiently unsteady aerodynamic effects for actively controlled trailing-edge flaps (ACFs) is crucial for practical application of such systems for vibration and noise reduction as well as performance enhancement.Two-dimensional unsteady airloads due to oscillating flapmotion are calculated and compared using various computational fluid dynamics (CFD) codes and a CFD-based reduced-order model (ROM). This ROM is based on the rational function approximations approach, which yields a state-space, time-domain aerodynamic model suitable for incorporation into comprehensive rotorcraft simulation codes. The accuracy of this model is demonstrated across a practical range of unsteady flow conditions encountered by active flaps. Two Reynolds-averaged Navier–Stokes solvers (CFD++ and OVERFLOW) are employed in conjunction with various turbulence models, including large eddy simulation based models, so as to examine code independence. Flow physics associated with three-dimensional effects, flap hinge gap, as well as compressibility effects are also examined.