How an aircraft generates lift is very complex. There is not a single mathematical explanation of why lift occurs, and it is the result of many complex factors. It is very easy to oversimplify how an aircraft produces lift or just pick and choose the easiest explanations as to why it occurs. We will look in detail at the major reasons an aircraft - and in particular a wing - produces lift. An aircraft flies because the aircraft is able to generate a force known as ‘lift’. This lift is generated by the shape of the wing, and this shape is called an ‘aerofoil’. There are numerous reasons why lift is created. We will look at three of the main reasons. In simple terms, an aerofoil produces lift by creating a lower pressure above the wing than below the wing, which produces a net upward force. To create this pressure difference, two things need to happen. We either need the top of the wing to be curved, or we require the wing to be inclined (angled) towards the relative airflow, or both. So how does a curved surface or an inclined (angled) wing cause a drop in pressure on top of the wing? To understand life, we first need to look at the ‘Coanda effect’. The Coanda effect causes the airflow to follow the curvature of the wing. This means that when the relative airflow hits the front of the wing, it is deflected up and over the wing and below the wing. Due to the coanda effect and the shape (or angle) of the wing in relation to the airflow, it deflects and curves this airflow over the wing. Lift and the Coanda effect How an aircraft generates lift Chapter 2
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