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An aircraft may carry hundreds of people, bags, fuel and at least one passenger who stands up before the seat-belt light goes off. How does something that heavy stay in the sky?
The ExplainItSimply idea: Start with the strange question, remove the difficult words, then connect the answer to normal life.
Four forces share the job
Weight pulls down, lift acts upward, thrust moves the aircraft forward and drag resists that movement.
Wings work with moving air
The shape and angle of the wing change how air moves around it, producing an upward aerodynamic force.
Engines do not simply “hold it up”
Engines mainly provide thrust. Forward movement allows the wings to create enough lift.
Turbulence is moving air
Like bumps on a road, uneven air movement can shake the aircraft without meaning it is falling out of the sky.
Keep exploringContinue into Aviation →
Written by Ronnie Mbuqe
Ronnie is a South African software developer and the founder of ExplainItSimply. He created the site to make technology, science, learning and everyday knowledge easier to understand.
Read about the author →
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