Quote:
Originally Posted by myv65
High velocity equals low static pressure
|
Yeah, OK.
Quote:
(same idea that keeps planes in the air).
|
Erm, well... no. Please don't feel badly, it's a common misconception.
Planes don't hang on lower pressure on the tops of their wings but simply blow air downward to stay up. There are two primary effects: simple angle of attack (wing is angled upwards, so air that strikes it is pushed downwards) - and coanda effect (friction / laminar effect from the top surface works like a giant scoop - shape of surface makes the tail end of the "scoop" angle down).
If you're ever in a plane, near another one that's near the top of the clouds you can easily see the air being blown down into the clouds. I'm no aeronautical engineer, but was a (amateur - VFR only) pilot tor a number of years and saw this effect on a number of occasions.