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Smithsonian National Air and Space Museum

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  • Forces of Flight
    • The Four Forces
    • We Aren't Built to Fly
  • Gravity & Air
    • Gravity
    • Air
    • Buoyancy
  • Aerodynamics
    • Air in Motion
    • Subsonic Wings
    • Factors Affecting Lift
    • Alternative Theories of Lift
    • Pressure Drag
    • Friction Drag
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    • Vertical Flight
  • Structures & Materials
    • Weight and Strength
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    • Shaped for Space
  • Flight Dynamics
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    • Roll, Pitch, and Yaw
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    • Kepler’s Laws of Orbital Motion
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    • Thrusters and Spinning Wheels
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Ask an Explainer

Q:

How does weight, thrust, lift, and drag help the airplane fly?

A:

You can find out how weight, thrust, lift, and drag help an airplane fly by exploring the Forces of Flight on the How Things Fly website.

 

Ask an Explainer
Posted on September 5, 2012 at 12:02 pm
Categories:
Forces of Flight
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