CRJ200 FO RPTS FLAPS FAIL EICAS AT FLAPS 45 POSITION DURING APCH. FLT CREW CONTINUES FOR NORMAL LNDG; BUT NOTES A GO-AROUND COULD HAVE RESULTED IN SERIOUS CONSEQUENCES.

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WHILE ON APCH; FLAPS WERE SELECTED TO THE 45 DEG POSITION. UPON FLAP EXTENSION TO THE 45 DEG POSITION; CREW WAS ALERTED BY CAS OF A 'FLAPS FAILURE.' DUE TO OUR CLOSE PROXIMITY TO THE LNDG RWY (LESS THAN 5 MILES); AND THE VFR CONDITIONS; ALONG WITH THE PREVIOUS CLEARANCE TO LAND; WE CONFIRMED FLAPS WERE AT 45 DEGS VIA THE FLT CTLS SYNOPTIC PAGE; DISCUSSED THE SITUATION BETWEEN MYSELF AND THE CAPT; AND ELECTED TO CONTINUE THE APCH TO LNDG. UPON LNDG; FLAPS WERE LEFT IN THE 45 DEG DETENT AND MAINT WAS CALLED. THIS SITUATION UNDERLINES THE NEED FOR AN INVESTIGATION INTO THE CONTINUED 'FLAPS FAILURES' OF THE CRJ-200 ACFT. THIS IS THE FIRST TIME I HAVE HEARD OF A FLAPS FAILURE AT 45 DEGS; BUT HAD THIS BEEN: -IFR CONDITIONS -THE CREW PERFORMING AN ILS OR ANY INSTRUMENT APCH. TOWER INDICATING THE NEED FOR A GO-AROUND; A GO-AROUND FOR ANY REASON. THE SITUATION WOULD HAVE BEEN MUCH MORE DIRE. AS IS WELL KNOWN; FLYING WITH THE CRJ FULLY CONFIGURED SUBSTANTIALLY INCREASES FUEL BURN/DECREASES AVAILABLE CRUISING SPEED/DECREASES RANGE AND LIMITS THE PLTS IN MANEUVERABILITY. HAD WE BEEN TOLD TO EXECUTE A GO-AROUND; THIS EVENT WOULD HAVE LIKELY TURNED INTO AN EMERGENCY SITUATION. WHILE THIS EVENT TURNED OUT TO BE A SAFE OUTCOME; THE WARNING SIGNS ARE THERE AND MUST BE TAKEN SERIOUSLY SO AS TO PREVENT THE CONTINUED MECHANICAL FAILURES OF THE FLAP SYSTEM ON THE CRJ ACFT. ACR MUST TAKE A SERIOUS AND COMMITTED ACTION INTO FINDING A SOLUTION THAT WILL ELIMINATE THE CONTINUED FLAPS FAILURES ON THE CRJ ACFT.