Can airplanes fly if...?

Question

the Earth had no more gravity? Every other force (drag, lift, thrust) are still present.

Answer 1

They would indeed get off the ground, but without gravity, the thrust of their engines would hurl them into outer space.

Answer 2

Without gravity, nothing would keep the atmosphere in place. Without atmosphere, no aerodynamic lift or thrust.

Thus, flight would be impossible. Of course, without gravity, the "ariplane" would float, but floating is not flying.

Answer 3

If the earth's gravitational field were suddenly switched off, we would all have much more serious things to worry about.

But gravity is an invariate and universal phenomenon, and it is not going to stop.  So quit worrying about it.

To experience the true thrill of scientific discovery, try putting your ear to your girlfriend's belly button and see if you can hear the ocean.  That will stop you worrying about impossible scenarios.

Answer 4

wouldn't need airplanes would we? And of course, no gravity no earth, no us to fly. No place in the universe where gravity doesn't exist is there?

Answer 5

Not as such. Consider the moon for example. Been there, done that, but not "flying" as such. If the earth had no gravity it would have no atmosphere. Hence, the other forces would sort of still be there, as they are any where in space, but airyo dynamics is a whole lot different.

Answer 6

Air planes need the 4 forces to fly which are lift, weight, thrust and drag. Since weight is a measurment of gravity then the requirements can not be met. So the answer is no.  Thats why nasa has space ships in space :)

Answer 7

no they wont they would just float higher and higher into space

Answer 8

Umm.... No... How would they get back down... Or even just get airborn?

Answer 9

Yeah, you would be able to control the aircraft using the the control surfaces through an air mass just as you do now, however to come down you would have to point the plane down instead of letting gravity do the work.

Answer 10

No, the would have a hard time funcioning properly.  And we would all die.  So no.  :-)  Have a nice day...