So I know the simplified theory and basic principles here, Newton’s 3rd law, air compression and sudden exhaust and all, but it boggles me how this principle can lift, even move, 350 tons flying objects.
I get how it works but I need some kind of metaphor to understand and wrap my mind around the forces and amount of thrust at play here
In: Engineering
It’s not the engines alone lifting the plane, it’s not like a rocket where it’s pure force to break the bonds of gravity.
The Bernoulli effect is how planes fly. The engines need to provide enough power to get the plane moving quickly on the ground, and then the shape of the wing provides the lift.
Due to the shape of the wing air moves faster over the top than under the bottom, this creates a pressure differential where the air pressure above the wing is lower than under it, which creates lift. The engines just have to provide enough energy to keep the plane moving quickly enough that the air pressure below the plane keeps it in the air.
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