Originally posted by: archiloco
Originally posted by: BudAshes
I always thought a plane had to be going a certain speed depending on size and shape to get off the ground. I mean just cause the engines are blasting doesn't mean a plane would lift off. It would just go very fast straight forward until it hit something. The wings are what makes it take off and the wings require moving through air to have an effect.
Seems pretty simple. But then again what do i know?
yes it's that simple
no air under the wings
no lift
equals
no flight,
now if the engines where pushing the air to the wings that would be a different story but the engines are expelling the air way past the wings. you have to have the difference in pressure under the wing in order for flight to happen, you can have a jet engine go as hard as it can but if it has no forward movement there is no air that gets under the wing.
if this was possible the air craft carriers would just have the jets on treadmills and they would take off magically, but they are thrown out to sea at extreme speeds in order to get lift.