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Q:
How can an aircraft stay airborne if it's going the exact same speed as the wind?
A:
Wind at high altitudes can reach a speed of 250 knots, or almost 300 miles per hour. But planes will usually fly around 500 miles per hour, so rarely will a plane fly at the same speed as the wind, or it wouldn't be able to go very far.
If it did, the wings would still be able to produce lift, because they would still force the air above the wing to move faster than the air below. That small change in pressure will keep the plane aloft.
Posted on December 22, 2013 at 11:10 pm
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