Question 1

How does a wing generate lift?

Accepted Answer

A wing generates lift primarily because its shape and angle of attack deflect airflow downward, and by Newton's third law the wing receives an equal and opposite upward force. Bernoulli's principle explains the associated pressure difference: airflow accelerates over the curved upper surface, reducing pressure, while slower airflow under the wing maintains higher pressure. Both the momentum (circulation) and pressure perspectives are valid and equivalent descriptions of the same aerodynamic phenomenon.

Question 2

What causes an aircraft to stall?

Accepted Answer

A stall occurs when the angle of attack exceeds the critical angle (typically 15–20°), causing the boundary layer of air to separate from the upper wing surface. The smooth, attached flow that produces lift breaks down into turbulent, separated flow, and the lift coefficient drops sharply while drag increases. Stalls can occur at any airspeed—what matters is AoA, not speed. Recovery requires reducing AoA by pushing the nose down, allowing flow to reattach.

Question 3

What is the difference between indicated and true airspeed?

Accepted Answer

Indicated airspeed (IAS) is what the pitot-static system measures: the dynamic pressure of air relative to the aircraft. True airspeed (TAS) is the actual speed of the aircraft through the air mass, accounting for the lower air density at altitude. At sea level they are approximately equal; at 35,000 ft with ~25% of sea-level density, TAS is about twice IAS. Aircraft stall at a constant IAS regardless of altitude because lift depends on dynamic pressure, not TAS.

✈ Flight Simulator — Lift, Drag, Thrust & Pitch

What did you find?