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It works by moving against the air. The air's resistance creates most (or all) of the lifting force.

Lift is due mainly to the wing's angle of attack, forcing the air that the wing strikes to move downwards. The downward forcing of the air generates an equal-and-opposite upwards force that we call lift.

Be aware that the common and mistaken idea that lift is caused by "air moving faster over the curved top than the flat bottom" does not explain *most* of the lifting force.

If this were true, inverted flight would be impossible, as the "lift" would become "negative lift" and the airplane would plummet to the ground.

Some wings do give a small amount of lift at zero angle of attack, and this *is* due to the Bernoulli/venturi effect of differential camber.

If any lifting surface is an aerofoil, then some *do not* have differential camber (top and bottom curvatures).

There are *symmetrical* aerofoils (same top and bottom convex camber) flat ones (paper planes) and membranes (hang glider wings, parasails and kites).

To see this, go to http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Aerofoil, check out the "lift and drag curves for a typical aerofoil" graphic.

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Q: How does an aerofoil work?
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Related questions

How does a boomerang work as a bent aerofoil?

I think it still works because technically a bent aerofoil wing is still an aerofoil wing, but it would work going in a different direction or work in a different way. I think this because is a human with a broken leg not a human anymore? No, but people with broken leg(s) can still move and do other things in a different way.


How does a boomerang works as a bent aerofoil wing?

I think it still works because technically a bent aerofoil wing is still an aerofoil wing, but it would work going in a different direction or work in a different way. I think this because is a human with a broken leg not a human anymore? No, but people with broken leg(s) can still move and do other things in a different way.


How do high speed fighter planes fly without aerofoil shaped wings?

High-speed fighter planes have aerofoil-shaped wings.


How does a triangular sail work?

A sail works like an aerofoil. Depending on the point of sailing it pulls the vessel along much more than it pushes it.


Why do wings keep a plane in the air?

As the plane flies through the air, the upper surface of the wing, or aerofoil, is so curved that it creates higher air speed and lower pressure. In other words this lower pressure gives an upwars"lift" to the aerofoil, wheras the air rushing under the aerofoil creates higher air pressure giving an upward "push" to the aerofoil. So both surfaces create upward forces.


How air plane fly?

This is due to the shape of the aerofoil and propulsion


How air plane was flying?

This is due to the shape of the aerofoil and propulsion


How aeroplane fly?

aeroplane have aerofoil shape (you could find in the internet how does it looks like)wings that have a specific shape that would make it fly. The high velocity at the top of aerofoil will create the low pressure and the low velocity below the aerofoil will create high pressure. thus, the high pressure will push the aeroplane upwards.


What is the term used to describe the curvature of an aerofoil?

The camber is the term used


What is a synonym for airfoil?

OrganDevice of flightIn Europe it is also called an aerofoil.


Who invented the aerofoil?

Australian aviation pioneer Lawrence Hargrave, in 1892 ... right country (sort of) , wrong time and culture. The aerofoil, in the form of the boomerang and some other throwing sticks was used by Australian Aborigines some 10,000 years ago, and a carved mammoth tusk in aerofoil shape was discovered in the Carpathian Mountains with a date of some 30,000 years ago.


What is a revolving aerofoil to provide lift or to control a plane in flight called?

rotor