• Question: How does a plane take off and fly?

    Asked by aileenjcat to Colin, John, Kevin, Shikha, Triona on 12 Nov 2014. This question was also asked by chrisp.
    • Photo: Kevin Motherway

      Kevin Motherway answered on 12 Nov 2014:

      Bernouli’s law! Balloons and Airhips float because they are lighter than air, but planes are what is known as “heavier than air” flight.
      The faster air or fluid moves over a shape the lower the pressure it generates. The bottom of a wing is generally flat and doesn’t affect the airflow, the the top is curved and that means the air going over the top of the wing speeds up to complete its longer journey. In speeding up, the air is at lower pressure above the wing than below so the wing is pushed up: this is known as lift. The faster the plane is going down the runway, the more lift it generates and eventually the lift is enough to over come the huge weight of the aircraft and it “floats” of flies.

      The wings in a Formula 1 car are upside down (compared to a plane) and the faster the car goes the air pressure beneath the car is lower and is higher above the car and it is pushed into the ground. A formula 1 car could drive along the roof of a tunnel as long as it stays above 120 km/hr

    • Photo: Shikha Sharma

      Shikha Sharma answered on 18 Nov 2014:

      Hi Aileenjcat and chrisp,

      Let’s first understand how a plane fly. It’s a subject of aerodynamics. When a plane fly and moves ahead in sky two natural forces continuously act on the plane. Earth’s gravitation tries to pull down the plane and friction of air tries to stop the plane moving forward. Hence, we need two artificial forces to counter them. Plane’s engine creates thrust by throwing air through propeller with very high speed towards opposite direction of plane’s movement. Therefore, plane moves forward after nullifying the friction of the air. Secondly, when this high speed air from propeller passes through plane’s wing, it is pushed downward due to unique design or shape of the wing. Due to this push of air causes lift of the plane after nullifying the gravitational pull. And that’s how plane fly in sky.
      When an aircraft moves into the wind, the wings cut the airflow in half. Some air travels above the wing, some air travels below. Plane wings are built to be curved on top and flat on the bottom. The wind, or air stream, flowing over the wing travels a different path from air traveling under the wing. This difference in the path of the wind, creates lower downward air pressure above the wing and higher upward pressure below the wing. The higher air pressure under the wing lifts the plane into the air creating lift. When there is enough lift to overcome gravity, the plane takes off.:)

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