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Does a plane achieve lift by pushing a wing through the air or by pulling air over a wing?

Posted on 4/11/24 at 8:12 am
Posted by sidewalkside
rent free in yo head
Member since Sep 2021
1779 posts
Posted on 4/11/24 at 8:12 am
That's the question that needs to be answered on the conveyor belt conundrum.

If the engines can PULL enough wind over the wings surface it will achieve lift even without the plane appearing to move forward to a bystander viewing.
Posted by Chad504boy
4 posts
Member since Feb 2005
167010 posts
Posted on 4/11/24 at 8:13 am to
a missile is a wingless plane.
Posted by canyon
Member since Dec 2003
18581 posts
Posted on 4/11/24 at 8:14 am to
So what a few dozen shop vacs mounted on the wing to pull air over the top? Sounds about right.
Posted by Power-Dome
Member since Nov 2012
1123 posts
Posted on 4/11/24 at 8:15 am to
You can’t pull a fluid
Posted by Oilfieldbiology
Member since Nov 2016
37657 posts
Posted on 4/11/24 at 8:15 am to
Planes generate enough force through their engines/propellers that it causes the plane to move forward. The act of moving the aero foil through the air results in lower pressure on top of the wing, resulting in lift.
Posted by Fat and Happy
Baton Rouge
Member since Jan 2013
17107 posts
Posted on 4/11/24 at 8:16 am to
You get anything with wings going fast enough, it will lift off the ground

The speed of the object wanting fly and the surface area of resistance is pretty much it.

Once it’s in the air, that’s a whole other ballgame
Posted by rmnldr
Member since Oct 2013
38258 posts
Posted on 4/11/24 at 8:16 am to
quote:

That's the question that needs to be answered on the conveyor belt conundrum.


No it doesn’t


quote:

If the engines can PULL enough wind over the wings surface it will achieve lift even without the plane appearing to move forward to a bystander viewing.


They can’t. The closest thing is a bush plane taking off into a headwind.

None of that matters because the plane will still accelerate forward due to the thrust of its engines. Equal and opposite reaction.
Posted by kengel2
Team Gun
Member since Mar 2004
31046 posts
Posted on 4/11/24 at 8:16 am to
quote:

If the engines can PULL enough wind over the wings surface it will achieve lift even without the plane appearing to move forward to a bystander viewing.


A jet engine produces thrust, it does not pull air under(not over) the wing to create lift.
Posted by LSUTIGRE
Walker
Member since Sep 2006
819 posts
Posted on 4/11/24 at 8:17 am to
They did this on mythbusters a while back. The planes wheels dont "drive" theyre free rolling so the fact the ground is moving backwards in relation to the thrust only means the wheels would spin faster than the plane is travelling. kind of like small planes at an airfield are strapped down because a wind gust will pick them up regardless of if theyre moving or not.
Posted by Chicken
Jackassistan
Member since Aug 2003
22055 posts
Posted on 4/11/24 at 8:18 am to
Keep this in the other thread.
Posted by White Bear
Yonnygo
Member since Jul 2014
14157 posts
Posted on 4/11/24 at 8:20 am to
Ggoogle airfoil
Posted by fr33manator
Baton Rouge
Member since Oct 2010
124806 posts
Posted on 4/11/24 at 8:20 am to
Don't they test flying things out in wind tunnels?




Oh! If you hooked a giant wind tunnel around the plane it could fly anywhere with no engines, right!?
Posted by Tigeralum2008
Yankees Fan
Member since Apr 2012
17160 posts
Posted on 4/11/24 at 8:41 am to
quote:

Does a plane achieve lift by pushing a wing through the air or by pulling air over a wing?


quote:

If the engines can PULL enough wind over the wings surface it will achieve lift even without the plane appearing to move forward to a bystander viewing.



I’m in flight training right now

One time we encountered 55kt winds at 1000’. Pointed the nose into the wind and “hovered” over Port Allen literally staying stationary with the engine nearly idled.

It was a really cool demonstration that all you need for lift is air moving across the wing no matter the source


Posted by Mlear
Baton Rouge
Member since Jun 2023
10 posts
Posted on 4/11/24 at 9:25 am to
A plane can and will take off from a conveyor.
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