Usually planes are able to fly when air moves across the wings which generates lift. But how do fighter jets able to maintain lift while performing aerobatic maneuvers?

Question

Usually planes are able to fly when air moves across the wings which generates lift. But how do fighter jets able to maintain lift while performing aerobatic maneuvers?

In: 342

Answer 1

I assume you’re referring to the very slow flight regimes where the jet is still able to maneuver.

Simply put: very powerful engines, large flight control surfaces, and a really smart computer moving those surfaces.

Some jets have thrust vectoring—fancy exhaust nozzles that can point the engine thrust to enhance control/maneuverability.

There eventually comes a point where no speed = no flight. I used to fly the F/A-18E/F, and that jet flew slowly with absolute grace…but once you dipped to around 100kts, she would start to settle and the computer wouldn’t allow you to do much at all. In the double digits, gravity really took over.