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Just What Keeps An Airplane Up In The Air, Anyway?

Just What Keeps An Airplane Up In The Air, Anyway?
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By 

National Reporter, HuffPost

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Nope, it isn't magic, and the pilot isn't wildly flapping her arms up and down. Thankfully, the physics that keeps an airplane aloft is a bit more down to earth.

In simple terms, planes are held aloft by lift, the force generated when air flows over and under an airplane wing simultaneously. Air travels faster over the curved top of the wing than below it. That reduces air pressure on the wing from above. Voilà! Lift! (Though admittedly it's a bit more complicated than that.)

As long as the plane moves forward through the air, propelled by jet engines or propellors, this lift-generating principle applies. If the forward motion falters... well, as NASA puts, "No motion, no lift."

Need a visual? We don't blame you. Check out the MinutePhysics video above for a primer (and animation) covering the physics of flight.

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Before You Go

Solar Impulse Plane
(01 of24)
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ABU DHABI - UNITED ARAB EMIRATES - MARCH 9: (Alternate crop of #465648396) In this handout image supplied by Jean Revillard, Solar Impulse 2, a solar-powered airplane, takes flight as it begins its historic round-the-world journey from Al Bateen Airport, on March 09, 2015 from Abu Dhabi, UAE. The 35,000km journey is expected to last five months and is piloted by Andre Borschberg and Bertrand Piccard of Switzerland. The Solar Impulse 2 is equipped with 17,000 solar cells, has a wingspan of 72 metres, and yet weighs just over 2 tonnes. (Photo by Jean Revillard via Getty Images) (credit:Handout via Getty Images)
(02 of24)
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In this Monday, March 9, 2015 photo released by Solar Impulse, a Swiss solar-powered plane lands in Muscat, Oman, after it took off from Abu Dhabi early Monday, marking the start of the first attempt to fly around the world without a drop of fuel. Solar Impulse founder Andre Borschberg was at the controls of the single-seater when it took off from the Al Bateen Executive Airport. (AP Photo/Jean Revillard and Olga Stefatou, Solar Impulse) (credit:ASSOCIATED PRESS)
(03 of24)
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Map shows the route around the globe of the Solar Impulse plane; 3c x 3 inches; 146 mm x 76 mm; (credit:ASSOCIATED PRESS)
(04 of24)
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In this Monday, March 9, 2015 photo released by Solar Impulse, pilot Andre Boschberg reacts after landing a Swiss solar-powered plane in Muscat, Oman, after it took off from Abu Dhabi early Monday, marking the start of the first attempt to fly around the world without a drop of fuel. Solar Impulse founder Andre Borschberg was at the controls of the single-seater when it took off from the Al Bateen Executive Airport. (AP Photo/Jean Revillard and Olga Stefatou, Solar Impulse) (credit:ASSOCIATED PRESS)
(05 of24)
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In this Wednesday, May 22, 2013, file photo, the Solar Impulse, piloted by André Borschberg, takes flight during the second leg of the 2013 Across America mission, at dawn, at Harbor International Airport in Phoenix. The solar-powered plane neared the close of a cross-continental journey and landed at Dulles International Airport outside the nation's capital early Sunday, June 16, 2013, only one short leg to New York remaining. (AP Photo/Matt York, File) (credit:AP)
(06 of24)
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Solar Impulse, a solar-powered airplane with a wingspan of 208 ft, similar to a Boeing 747, is parked in its inflatable hangar at Lambert-St. Louis International Airport on Tuesday, June 4, 2013, in St. Louis. The airplane, which can fly day and night without fuel, uses solar power gathered from 11,628 silicon solar cells mounted on the wing and horizontal stabilizer to power four electric engines. Piloted by Bertrand Piccard and Andre Borschberg, the Solar Impulse is on a journey across America. (AP Photo/St. Louis Post-Dispatch, Erik M. Lunsford ) (credit:AP)
(07 of24)
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Solar Impulse, a solar-powered airplane with a wingspan of 208 ft, similar to a Boeing 747, is parked in its inflatable hangar at Lambert-St. Louis International Airport on Tuesday, June 4, 2013, in St. Louis. The airplane, which can fly day and night without fuel, uses solar power gathered from 11,628 silicon solar cells mounted on the wing and horizontal stabilizer to power four electric engines. This is also the first time the inflatable hangar has been used after storms damaged one of the hangars at Lambert intended for the aircraft. (AP Photo/St. Louis Post-Dispatch, Erik M.Lunsford ) (credit:AP)
(08 of24)
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Pilots Andre Borschberg, co-founder and CEO, and Dr. Bertrand Piccard, chairman, talk with reporters as the Solar Impulse sits in a specially made hangar tent at Dallas Fort Worth International Airport, Thursday May 23, 2013. The solar plane landed early Thursday at Dallas-Fort Worth International Airport after taking off Wednesday from Phoenix. The plane, with a wingspan of 208 feet (as long as a Boeing 747), will be on display Friday and Saturday. (AP Photo/Star-Telegram, Rodger Mallison) (credit:AP)
(09 of24)
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The Solar Impulse sits in a specially made hangar tent at Dallas Fort Worth International Airport, Thursday May 23, 2013. The plane landed early Thursday at Dallas-Fort Worth International Airport after taking off Wednesday from Phoenix. The plane, with a wingspan of 208 feet (as long as a Boeing 747), will be on display Friday and Saturday. (AP Photo/Star-Telegram, Rodger Mallison) (credit:AP)
(10 of24)
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Solar Impulse, piloted by Andre Borschberg, takes flight during the second leg of the 2013 Across America mission, at dawn, Wednesday, May 22, 2013, from Sky Harbor International Airport in Phoenix. The plane's creators said the trip is the first attempt by a solar airplane capable of flying day and night without fuel across the United States. (AP Photo/Matt York) (credit:AP)
(11 of24)
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Solar Impulse, piloted by André Borschberg, is pushed onto the tarmac prior to the second leg of the 2013 Across America mission, at dawn, Wednesday, May 22, 2013, at Sky Harbor International Airport in Phoenix. The solar powered aircraft is scheduled to land at Dallas/Fort Worth International Airport on Thursday May 23. The plane's creators, Bertrand Piccard and Borschberg, said the trip is the first attempt by a solar airplane capable of flying day and night without fuel to fly across America. (AP Photo/Matt York) (credit:AP)
(12 of24)
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The aircraft Solar Impulse is prepared for the second leg of the 2013 Across America mission, early Wednesday, May 22, 2013, at Sky Harbor International Airport in Phoenix. The solar powered aircraft is scheduled to land at Dallas/Fort Worth International Airport on Thursday May 23. The plane's creators, Bertrand Piccard and Borschberg, said the trip is the first attempt by a solar airplane capable of flying day and night without fuel to fly across America. (AP Photo/Matt York) (credit:AP)
(13 of24)
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Ground crew prepares the Solar Impulse plane early in the morning before taking off on a multi-city trip across the United States from Moffett Field NASA Ames Research Center in Mountain View, Calif., Friday, May 3, 2013. Solar Impulse, considered the world's most advanced solar-powered plane, will stop for seven to 10 days at major airports in each city, so the pilots can display and discuss the aircraft with reporters, students, engineers and aviation fans. It plans to reach New York's Kennedy Airport in early July without using a drop of fuel, its creators said. (AP Photo/Tony Avelar) (credit:AP)
(14 of24)
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The Solar Impulse plane sits on the tarmac early in the morning before takes off on a multi-city trip across the United States from Moffett Field NASA Ames Research Center in Mountain View, Calif., Friday, May 3, 2013. Solar Impulse, considered the world's most advanced solar-powered plane, will stop for seven to 10 days at major airports in each city, so the pilots can display and discuss the aircraft with reporters, students, engineers and aviation fans. It plans to reach New York's Kennedy Airport in early July without using a drop of fuel, its creators said. (AP Photo/Tony Avelar) (credit:AP)
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The Solar Impulse plane takes off on a multi-city trip across the United States from Moffett Field NASA Ames Research Center in Mountain View, Calif., Friday, May 3, 2013. Solar Impulse, considered the world's most advanced solar-powered plane, will stop for seven to 10 days at major airports in each city, so the pilots can display and discuss the aircraft with reporters, students, engineers and aviation fans. It plans to reach New York's Kennedy Airport in early July without using a drop of fuel, its creators said. (AP Photo/Tony Avelar) (credit:AP)
(16 of24)
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The Solar Impulse plane takes off on a multi-city trip across the United States from Moffett Field NASA Ames Research Center in Mountain View, Calif., Friday, May 3, 2013. Solar Impulse, considered the world's most advanced solar-powered plane, will stop for seven to 10 days at major airports in each city, so the pilots can display and discuss the aircraft with reporters, students, engineers and aviation fans. It plans to reach New York's Kennedy Airport in early July without using a drop of fuel, its creators said. (AP Photo/Tony Avelar) (credit:AP)
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The Solar Impulse, piloted by Bertrand Piccard, flies over the San Francisco bay in Marin County, Calif., Tuesday, April 23, 2013. Considered the world's most advanced sun-powered plane, the Solar Impulse is a solar-powered airplane that is preparing for a journey around the world, scheduled to begin on May 1. (AP Photo/Jeff Chiu) (credit:AP)
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The Solar Impulse is seen after landing from a test flight at Moffett Field NASA Ames Research Center in Mountain View, Calif., Friday, April 19, 2013. A solar-powered plane that has wowed aviation fans in Europe is set to take an early morning test flight over the San Francisco Bay area. Considered the world's most advanced sun-powered plane, the Solar Impulse is set to take off from Moffett Field in Mountain View at first light for a two-hour practice run leading up to the start of a multi-city, cross-country tour. (AP Photo/Jeff Chiu) (credit:AP)
(19 of24)
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The Solar Impulse lands during a test flight at Moffett Field NASA Ames Research Center in Mountain View, Calif., Friday, April 19, 2013. A solar-powered plane that has wowed aviation fans in Europe is set to take an early morning test flight over the San Francisco Bay area. Considered the world's most advanced sun-powered plane, the Solar Impulse is set to take off from Moffett Field in Mountain View at first light for a two-hour practice run leading up to the start of a multi-city, cross-country tour. (AP Photo/Jeff Chiu) (credit:AP)
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In this photo made available Thursday, Feb. 21, 2013, Solar Impulse crew members are loading the experimental aircraft "Solar Impulse", HB-SIA, in a Boeing 747 at the airbase in Payerne, Switzerland, Wednesday, Feb. 20, 2013. The Boeing 747 plane takes off Thursday morning with the experimental aircraft "Solar Impulse", HB-SIA, to the Ames Research Center of NASA in San Francisco in the US. (AP Photo/Keystone, Jean-Christophe Bott) (credit:AP)
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The experimental aircraft 'Solar Impulse' , with Solar Impulse's founder, chairman and pilot Bertand Piccard, lands at the airbase in Payerne, Switzerland, Tuesday July 24, 2012, after the solar-powered and zero fuel aircraft had made an intercontinental trip, taking in Morocco, Spain and France. With a 63.40 metres wingspan, the craft is powered only by solar energy. (AP Photo / KEYSTONE/Maxime Schmid) (credit:AP)
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An experimental solar-powered plane, Solar Impulse, approaches to make a night landing at Rabat airport, Morocco, Tuesday, June 5, 2012 after a 20-hour trip from Madrid in the first transcontinental flight by a craft of its type. (AP Photo/Abdeljalil Bounhar) (credit:AP)
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Swiss-made Solar-powered aircraft the Solar Impulse piloted by Bertrand Piccard of Switzerland takes off from Rabat on June 21, 2012 for a voyage across the Moroccan desert to Ouarzazate. AFP PHOTO / ABDELHAK SENNA (credit:Getty Images)
Mideast Oman Solar Plane(24 of24)
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In this Monday, March 9, 2015 photo released by Solar Impulse, a Swiss solar-powered plane lands in Muscat, Oman, after it took off from Abu Dhabi early Monday, marking the start of the first attempt to fly around the world without a drop of fuel. Solar Impulse founder Andre Borschberg was at the controls of the single-seater when it took off from the Al Bateen Executive Airport. (AP Photo/Jean Revillard and Olga Stefatou, Solar Impulse) (credit:ASSOCIATED PRESS)
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