How Do Airplanes Actually Fly? 🛩️
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Morning Orville!
![](https://cdn.prod.website-files.com/649aa49e57793ed61ecbd3fd/651b86fdb6a2617b04b979a0_PLANE2.gif)
That was Durd on the first ever airplane.
![](https://cdn.prod.website-files.com/649aa49e57793ed61ecbd3fd/651b86fef6d849f3ba1cd571_CRASH2.gif)
Oops. Sorry Durd.
In theory, though, how does a heavy airplane like that actually fly?
Let’s cut to modern day and look at Durd trying to take off with his Boeing 737:
![](https://cdn.prod.website-files.com/649aa49e57793ed61ecbd3fd/651b86fe295a8915b69ba121_G1A.webp)
Wow.
We really cut the aviation budget here at Smart Nonsense, didn’t we?
![](https://cdn.prod.website-files.com/649aa49e57793ed61ecbd3fd/651b86fee573cd58e9dd2e68_G1B2.webp)
Luckily if Durd can get going fast enough, it doesn’t really matter.
See, air is a fluid.
It’s just way less dense than liquids like water, but its fluid-y principles are the same:
![](https://cdn.prod.website-files.com/649aa49e57793ed61ecbd3fd/651b86fe6daf68dc9ca165af_G1C2.webp)
Okay, but ya. That’s the problem!
How the f*ck do you make an airplane lighter than air??
Okay, back to Durd.
![](https://cdn.prod.website-files.com/649aa49e57793ed61ecbd3fd/651b86fd3192bea5ec032271_G1D2.webp)
![](https://cdn.prod.website-files.com/649aa49e57793ed61ecbd3fd/651b86fdf5ead6b3bed99b53_G1E.webp)
Just start moving, dammit.
![](https://cdn.prod.website-files.com/649aa49e57793ed61ecbd3fd/651b86fd6daf68dc9ca16581_G1F2.webp)
Yes.
![](https://cdn.prod.website-files.com/649aa49e57793ed61ecbd3fd/651b86fda6838781041be775_G1G.webp)
YES.
![](https://cdn.prod.website-files.com/649aa49e57793ed61ecbd3fd/651b86fd07b7038750c6f912_G1H.webp)
YES!!!!
Okay, now zoom in on Durd’s wing:
![](https://cdn.prod.website-files.com/649aa49e57793ed61ecbd3fd/651b86fd54f7c3782750e9aa_G1I.webp)
And make the air visible, please.
![](https://cdn.prod.website-files.com/649aa49e57793ed61ecbd3fd/651b86fddd70424477fda4c8_G1J.webp)
As you can see, as Durd moves down the runway, the airplane wing starts affecting the fluid air around it.
The lines are all bent.
Some air goes above the wing:
![](https://cdn.prod.website-files.com/649aa49e57793ed61ecbd3fd/651b86fe54f7c3782750e9d6_G1K.webp)
Some air goes below the wing:
![](https://cdn.prod.website-files.com/649aa49e57793ed61ecbd3fd/651b86feeb155f38c155934e_G1L.webp)
Now, the air above the wing is accelerated by the wing’s curve.
This causes it to move much faster than the air below the wing.
![](https://cdn.prod.website-files.com/649aa49e57793ed61ecbd3fd/651b86fd47b17a4ad8346d7a_TNNN2225-1.webp)
Faster moving air molecules means less molecules are colliding with one another.
![](https://cdn.prod.website-files.com/649aa49e57793ed61ecbd3fd/651b86fdfc355d637d3d14f8_G1N.webp)
Less molecules colliding with one another means there’s a lower pressure.
And in the case of Durd’s wing, lower pressure above and higher pressure below means the wing will experience a force upward!
![](https://cdn.prod.website-files.com/649aa49e57793ed61ecbd3fd/651b86fe47b17a4ad8346e17_G1O.webp)
Lift!
![](https://cdn.prod.website-files.com/649aa49e57793ed61ecbd3fd/651b86fe333f5dcf74c282ff_G1P.webp)
Physics is doing it, Durd.
![](https://cdn.prod.website-files.com/649aa49e57793ed61ecbd3fd/651b86fde9ed224cac0b1311_G1Q2.webp)
Stay Cute,
Henry & Dylan 🌈
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