Science of Flight

The science of flight primarily involves aerodynamics, which studies how air interacts with objects in motion. Aircraft wings are shaped to generate lift—an upward force overcoming gravity—by creating differences in air pressure. When a plane moves forward, air flows faster over the curved upper surface of the wing, reducing pressure (Bernoulli's principle), while slower-moving air beneath creates higher pressure, resulting in lift. Engines provide propulsion, counteracting drag, or air resistance. Together, lift, thrust, weight, and drag determine an aircraft's ability to take off, stay in the air, and land safely.