Expert: Paul Ruderham - 9/13/2009

Question
hi,

can you please tell me how planes can fly
thanks
tracey

Answer
Hi Tracey

To keep it simple, air passing over the top of wing is less than the air passing underneath creating lift. Take a piece of paper hold it longways in front of you so that it is hanging down and blow over the top of the paper. It will lift up as the air pressure is reduced over the paper when you blow, exactly the same as the air passing over the wing.

There is a lot more involved like the use of flaps when the aircraft slows down on landing these create extra lift also used on take off.

Hope this makes it clear

paul