How does an airplane get up and stay up in the air?

Question

Can anyone out there answer this for me in easy to understand terms? It's just something I have always wanted to know...
Thanks!

I don't need any smart *** comments like those from Cartiphil. I did graduated high school JERK! So it is obvious that this was not part of the curriculum.

Answer 1

Hello...the best that i can explain. Sorry it's long. The wing has a consistant shape through the wingspan called, "the airfoil" in which produces lift. When the wing travels through the air, the flow of air is divided at the leading edge of the wing. On a flat-bottom airfoil, the air that travels on the bottom will not change speed...(since it flows straight and along a flat surface). The air that flows on the top is a different story, because it travels OVER the wing in sort-of a hump, the air must travel faster over the top than on the bottom of the wing ( the distance from the leading edge to the trailing edge of the wing is longer on top than on bottom--for a flat bottom airfoil-). According to Bernoullis Principle, if you took physics, the faster a fluid travels, the lower the pressure gets. Since the top airflow is traveling faster, the pressure is lower than on bottom, resulting in a stronger...UP FORCE....on the bottom of wing, resulting in lift. Now as long as the plane flies at or faster than its stall speed, it will fly. Also take note that what i tried to explain is just a theory of flight, there are like 3 theories. well hope i helped...post another question if you got one.....! :) God Bless

this website may help you understand it....www.howstuffworks.com
then just select transportation or type in airplane.

Answer 2

Ok simply like this:
An airplane have the Fuselage (body), the Horizontal Stabilizer (the main & rear wings) and Vertical Stabilizer (the rear Tail 'Fin').

The 4 basic elements of flight are:
Thrust vs Drag and Lift vs Weight.

To Take-Off (get up), on the runway, an airplane travel at a speed against the wind direction. The same theory as if you would want to fly a kite - You draw the kite against the wind.

The pilot will lift the plane at the point of VR (velocity rotate) meaning enough Air going under the wing which make the plane to lift float.

Once afloat, the power from the engines will keep the plane airborne.
The pilot will use the Flaps of the main wings, rear wings and the rudder at the tail, Fin (vertical stabilizer) to navigate during the flight.

I think this is the easiest way I can present.

Answer 3

It's all in the shape of the wing. Forward thrust from the propeller or jet engine creats low pressure above the wings & high pressure under the wings & as long as forward momentum is producing enough speed to create the pressure system the plane will stay up. If the speed drops below what is called the stall speed the wings quit lifting & the plane will drop like a rock. When driving down the road, put your hand outside your window in a flat position, then tilt it either way & feel the differance in what your hand does. It is bascally acting like an air foil & will either go up or down depending on it's position. That is what the flaps & rudders do keeping a plane in the attitude you want it. (hopefully) (G) I hope this helps.

Answer 4

All flying machines, Kites, birds and insects are able to stay in air because of lift that gets created when wind passes over their upper surface. The holding of the string against the wind provides this flow for the kite to saty in air, the birds creat the forward movement by the flapping of their wings and aeroplane enging provide the forward thrusty to move forward plane thus allowing the wind to pas over the top of the wing (An arofoil) and hence it flies .

Answer 5

I think it's something like this: The top side of a wing is curved slightly. This causes the air to travel faster over the top of the wing than the bottom and therefore, a lower pressure on the top of the wing. Higher pressure on the bottom. High pressure pushes against low pressure, and I think because of this, the plane is actually almost 'pushed' up into the air. But I may be wrong.

Answer 6

The wings are designed so as that air circulate over the precise of the wing will generate raise. it is via the fact the air is flowing over the wing so rapid that the air rigidity decrease than the wing is bigger and the plane is lifted. The engines on planes are actually not purely like the engines on rockets. they are actually not used for raise themselves yet are used to generate thrust. Thrust keeps the plane shifting rapid adequate so as that the situation i suggested in the previous approximately raise is obtainable

Answer 7

Easy, The shape of the wing causes uplift as it moves quickly through the air. The engines on the plane propel it at sufficient speed that this uplift causes the plane to leave the ground and stay in the air.

Answer 8

The shape of the wing creates a low pressure area above the wing which in essence pulls the airplane upward as it is forced forward. Look up Venturi Effect on the net and you will find lots of info that will clarify the issue. Its one of the coolest tricks of physics.

Answer 9

the shape of the wing. the area of the upper surface is greater that the area of the lower surface, therefore the air has further to go to get over the top of the wing and travels faster. this causes the air pressure under the wing to drop which pushes up on the wing as long as the wing is moving through the air fast enough. basically.

Answer 10

the wings are formed in such a way, that as the plane travels forward from the pull of the propeller ( or push from the jet engine) that "lift" occurs, and allows the plane to raise. Elevators on the wings and tail wings, help to raise it even more. A glider, with no engine can do this too, but both can use thermal updrafts to gain altitude, also.