How Airplanes Fly

How do wings and engines lift a heavy airplane into the sky?

An exploration of the physics behind flight, explaining how engines create thrust and wings generate lift to overcome gravity.

Check your understanding

1. Which force pulls an airplane down toward the Earth?
- A. Thrust
- B. Drag
- C. Weight
- D. Lift
2. What is the main job of an airplane's engines?
- A. To create lift
- B. To create thrust
- C. To increase drag
- D. To measure gravity
3. What do we call the special shape of an airplane's wing?
- A. An airfoil
- B. A turbine
- C. A thrust-cone
- D. A gravity-defier
4. What is air resistance that tries to slow a plane down called?
- A. Gravity
- B. Thrust
- C. Lift
- D. Drag

1. If a wing pushes air downward, what happens next?
- A. The plane slows down
- B. The air pushes the wing up
- C. Gravity gets stronger
- D. The engine turns off
2. Why do jet engines make a plane move forward?
- A. They pull the plane with magnets
- B. They push gas backward, so the air pushes the plane forward
- C. They lift the wings up
- D. They make the plane lighter
3. What is true about how wings create lift?
- A. Air must meet up at the back of the wing
- B. Wings only work if they stay still
- C. It involves the wing shape and pushing air downward
- D. It is only caused by magic
4. What must happen for an airplane to stay in the sky?
- A. Thrust must be greater than drag
- B. Lift must overcome weight
- C. The engine must be louder than the wind
- D. The plane must be perfectly still

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