What makes an airplane fly?

Question

What makes an airplane fly?

Answer 1

lift is a myth.

If the shape of the wing causes lift, then how do plane fly upside down?  If it was lift, then while upside down, they would accelerate down.

Answer 2

lotsa money

Answer 3

FUEL

Answer 4

saw this the other day while researching paper airplanes - http://www.airplane-and-aircraft.com/aer...

It's a pretty good although basic explanation about how airplanes fly.

Answer 5

Exactly my flight instructor asked me this and I was explaining lift Bernoulli's principle etc and he say absolutely incorrect standing there bewildered he said money so every now and again  pops that question I now get it correct

Answer 6

If I remember correctly, the wings are flat on bottom and thicker toward the leading edge (front).  The air rushing over the wings follows the surface and is sent downward at the trailing edge (rear) which causes lift, making the plane fly.  

Sort of like a sailboat can catch a sidewind and redirect it to toward the stern to propel the boat...sort of.

Answer 7

all of the principles of flight and the principles of the jet engine.

Answer 8

Top of the page, under principles. There are Levels 1 through 3, depending on the degree of knowledge.

http://www.allstar.fiu.edu/

Answer 9

$$$$$$

And lots of it.

Answer 10

The shape of the wing causes the air to flow faster over the top surface of the wing and as this happens, it creates an area of low pressure above the wing. The higher pressure air below the wing flows into the low pressure area creating lift. Look up "Bernoulli Principle" for a more scientific explanation, but this is the gist of it.

Answer 11

The pilot...without him/her, it wouldn't even bother to start itself.

After that, it's just the power of the motor, and what's called "angle of attack". If you pull or push the aircraft with sufficient force to overcome friction, it'll move forward. If you get enough speed,and raise the front of the wing enough, the Angle of Attack, the aircraft will lift off and fly by the air hitting underneath the wing. The Angle of Attack principle is the MOST important one...an airplane can fly upside down with sufficient power and pilot skill, so wing shape has nothing to do with flying except for efficiency....regardless of what anyone else says here.    :)     However, it IS important for stability at low speed, so for that, yes, wing shape is important.

  So, 3 things - Sufficient Power, Angle of Attack, skilled Pilot...that's what is needed to make an airplane fly.

- The Gremlin Guy -

Answer 12

The plane pushes down on the air. It's really that simple.

Answer 13

Lift is the answer,

And for the "genius" who asked how airplanes fly inverted if an airfoil creates lift, perhaps an aerobatic lesson is in order.

Bring your barf bag and let's go!