I have two short questions. Is it normal to taxi with your flaps down, when you are on your way to the designated runway. Do you turn on the beacon lights, nav. lights or both when you are taxiing to the runway.

Typically, whenever the aircraft is moving the navigation lights are turned on (red on left, green on right, white on tail) and you turn on your beacon to indicate that the engine is running or you are getting ready to start engines.Most times you will set your takeoff flaps setting during the taxi out to the active runway. If there is snow or slush at the airport it is recommended that you delay deplying flaps until just before your taxi into position on the active (this prevents an accumulation of snow or ice on the exposed flaps which could ice over adding additional weight to the aircraft or prevent the retraction of flaps after takeoff.

I want to add to your reply:Commercial carriers are required to leave their nav lights on whenever the battery switch is on. The only time you'll ever see them off is if they're going to be shut down and locked up for an extended period of time.GA aircraft are only required to have their nav lights on from civil twilight to civil dawn.The beacon light is to signify intent to start the engine, and after shut down, it is kept on until the prop is stopped and the mags are off. I believe commercial aircraft leave them on until the fan speed drops below 10 percent.