Re:Why we don’t understand heavier-than-air flight
by beckingz on Saturday June 26, 2021 @12:06PM
(#27643025)
Overall you are correct that the plane receives an upward force due to the air it interacts with, and that the air receives an equal amount of force downward. In level flight the vertical force components must equal zero (or the plane falls/rises).
But equally, if the plane is forced up, the air must be forced down. Cause and effect are not obvious from a force diagram.
But equally, if the plane is forced up, the air must be forced down. Cause and effect are not obvious from a force diagram.