I play whistle using my right hand ring finger to anchor the instrument. I place it on the D hole, which is standard for the method. On the flute this has the advantage of leaving the pinky entirely free, so that the D sharp key is very easy to use. Also it can simplify fingering.
On the debit side the flute is slightly less stable - the pinky has more leverage and lateral force. With the ring-finger method, the ring-finger and the right thumb do the job, but a bit less well.
Any opinions, experiences? I know of at least one top player who uses this technique. Need to make a decision.
Best,
I am just learning, and using the Grey Larsen book. He says to use the lip/chin, ball of the first finger on the upper hand, and the little finger only to hold the flute, with thumbs touching but not supporting the flute much. In the end its whatever works best for you, I guess.
djm
Funny you should write about that; I’ve been pondering this very thing off and on after a recent moment of self-awareness in which I realized I tend to keep my RH D finger down. I haven’t noticed any problems, but did think “How odd. I’ve never done that in 30 years on my Boehm.” ('Course, I suppose you couldn’t, although I can’t say as I’ve tried, either.) Anyway, since then I’ve experimented with both ways, but overall I’m more comfortable with it down. Of course, I suppose I’ve probably been playing Irish flute that way for 8 or 9 years now so the habit, good or bad, is pretty well-stuck …
(I don’t think I ever, however, use my little finger as an anchor – like you said, because of D#; plus that one’s too ingrained from the Boehm Era.)
One thing that could be worth looking at either way, though, is the placement of your right thumb: i.e., make sure you’re using it to your best advantage as a balance point, even if that means moving it a millimeter or two upstream (i.e., left). In my experience this can free up both your right and left hands a bit by shifting a bit more of the flute onto your right thumb, which isn’t really doing anything else anyway. It’s a change in the center of gravity, but I’ve found it can be good, especially for fatigue relief or softening/lightening the flute on your lip – or finally, if like yours truly, you tend to be a bit addicted to speed sometimes … :roll:
Second this. It is nowhere written (except maybe in Grey’s book)
that the right thumb has no work to do. It can provide lateral
pressure, in effect do what the pinky does, but with less
leverage. On the other hand (so to speak) it’s a bigger
stronger finger. The down pressure is supplied by
the ring finger. If there are any more opinions I’d
be grateful. I do know, of course, that the
‘standard’ anchoring is pinky. Thanks to all, Jim
I can’t imagine using my D finger. 
I use my pinkie finger exclusively to anchor my flute, and that is my biggest problem with the keyed flute. I may keep the D finger up or down, that one I pay little or no attention to, but if the pinkie isn’t in the right place, nothing feels right to me.
My thumbs I don’t pay attention to, either, but I bet I’d HATE that C nat thumb hole!
Mary
(beginner speaking, reader beware)
I try to keep my left thumb free for the Bb key (I know I’ll need it some day) and my right hand 3rd and 4th finger free for everything (this is a leftover from long years playing recorder as well as a preparation for using keys), so I use chin, left-hand first-finger ball and right thumb as the supporting triangle. It feels as if it’ll work fine with another year of practice or two 
Joking aside: it took me maybe two weeks to find that position and get reasonably comfortable with it.
I’m a bit obsessive with having as many fingers free from supporting the flute as possible, though.
Sonja
Well, went home, played a few tunes, thought about it, and …
I primarily “float” the flute between lip, LH ball, and RH thumb – but that RH ring finger definitely spends more time sort of resting on the D hole than not.
Thanks for all of these remarks.
If one uses the right hand ring finger on the D hole,
it has to dance about a bit. I’m used to that ,though,
from the whistle. It does simplify fingering sometimes,
having the low D closed in advance.
Grey L tells me that James Galway uses his right
thumb laterally to balance the flute, this frees entirely all the other
right hand fingers. I’ve tried this but it’s not very
easy, perhaps it helps to be James G.
i’ve been working on this and it works! Frees the right
hand entirely. The thumb presses laterally, it’s strong
and has lots of surface. Eureka!