how do air planes fly?

Answer 1

The elavators make it go up or down. The rudder makes it go left or right. The ailerons make it bank to the left/right. The engine moves it forward.

Answer 2

Students of physics and aerodynamics are taught that airplanes fly as a result of Bernoulli’s principle, which says that if air speeds up the pressure is lowered. Thus a wing generates lift because the air goes faster over the top creating a region of low pressure, and thus lift. This explanation usually satisfies the curious and few challenge the conclusions. Some may wonder why the air goes faster over the top of the wing and this is where the popular explanation of lift falls apart.

In order to explain why the air goes faster over the top of the wing, many have resorted to the geometric argument that the distance the air must travel is directly related to its speed. The usual claim is that when the air separates at the leading edge, the part that goes over the top must converge at the trailing edge with the part that goes under the bottom. This is the so-called "principle of equal transit times".

Let us assume that this argument were true. The average speeds of the air over and under the wing are easily determined because we can measure the distances and thus the speeds can be calculated. From Bernoulli’s principle, we can then determine the pressure forces and thus lift. If we do a simple calculation we would find that in order to generate the required lift for a typical small airplane, the distance over the top of the wing must be about 50% longer than under the bottom.

If we look at the wing of a typical small plane, which has a top surface that is 1.5 - 2.5% longer than the bottom, we discover that a Cessna 172 would have to fly at over 400 mph to generate enough lift. Clearly, something in this description of lift is flawed.

But, who says the separated air must meet at the trailing edge at the same time? If looking at the airflow over a wing in a simulated wind tunnel, In the simulation, colored smoke is introduced periodically. One can see that the air that goes over the top of the wing gets to the trailing edge considerably before the air that goes under the wing. In fact, close inspection shows that the air going under the wing is slowed down from the "free-stream" velocity of the air. So much for the principle of equal transit times.

When looking at the airflow over a wing in a wind tunnel, with colored "smoke" to show the acceleration and deceleration of the air.

The popular explanation also implies that inverted flight is impossible. It certainly does not address acrobatic airplanes, with symmetric wings (the top and bottom surfaces are the same shape), or how a wing adjusts for the great changes in load such as when pulling out of a dive or in a steep turn?

So, why has the popular explanation prevailed for so long? One answer is that the Bernoulli principle is easy to understand. There is nothing wrong with the Bernoulli principle, or with the statement that the air goes faster over the top of the wing. But, as the above discussion suggests, our understanding is not complete with this explanation. The problem is that we are missing a vital piece when we apply Bernoulli’s principle. We can calculate the pressures around the wing if we know the speed of the air over and under the wing, but how do we determine the speed?

Another fundamental shortcoming of the popular explanation is that it ignores the work that is done. Lift requires power (which is work per time). Understanding of power is key to the understanding of many of the interesting phenomena of lift.

Answer 3

That's a tough question to answer, but the short version is that when an airplane is propelled forward, its wings, which are angled slightly upwards, slow down the air passing under them, which becomes pressurized, and reduces air going to the top of the wing, which therefore loses pressure. The air beneath the wing is pushing up, and the low pressure of the air above the wing is creating less resistance against the wing rising. The combination of these two forces creates lift, which causes the airplane to rise up and fly. The amount of forward motion and the angle of the wing determines how much lift is generated, so that also determines whether a plane ascends, descends, or flies in a relatively level path.

Answer 4

Air travels over the wings. The distance from the leading edge to the back of the wing is different on top than on bottom. There is a greater distance for the air to travel on the top than the bottom of the wing. The faster the speed, the less pressure. So, there is now less pressure on top of the wing than the bottom, and the greater pressure pushes up toward the lesser pressure, and that is how the lift is created.
Look up Bernoulli's Principle and Newton's Laws of Motion for more details of how this works.

Answer 5

The engine(s) create thrust to propel the aircraft forward. The wing is made in such a way that the top of the wing (from the leading edge) is longer than the bottom of the wing. The air passing over the wing must move faster than the air under the wing. In doing so, it creates a vacuum over the wing and the wing is basically "sucked" up into this vacuum.

Answer 6

Airflow over the wing creates a lifting force.

The plane must have airspeed when level greater than the stall speed to stay in the air. More speed or thrust when trying to climb.

Answer 7

To the guy above: Please dont confuse somebody with that ridiculous description of how a plane flies. Its quite more complex than that. You description of parts simply controls the direction of the plane but has nothing to do with the lift of the craft.

Answer 8

ull have to learn aero physics, but in easy terms, the wings create an air stream, which allows it to flow in air, propellers allow it to stay in air, an move up an down.

Answer 9

wings create a downforce lift against the air using flaps up or down

Answer 10

Little fairies and pixies lift the airplane into the air.