Why do airplanes stay in the sky?
Airplanes stay up because air pushes up on their wings!
Pip’s answer
- Airplanes stay up because air pushes up on their wings!
- Big engines zoom the plane forward really, really fast. Vroom!
- The wings bend the rushing air downward, so the plane goes up.
- Wow-ee, a big plane is heavier than many elephants, and still it flies!
Try it together
Can you hold your arms out like airplane wings?
For grown-ups
Engines push the plane forward fast. Wings are shaped and tilted so they deflect air downward, and the air pushes the wing up in return, which is lift. When lift is greater than the plane's weight, it climbs. Pilots adjust speed and wing angle to control lift.
Ask your child: Can you make a paper airplane that flies a long way?
More questions kids ask
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- 🍎Why do things fall down?
- 🧲Why do magnets stick?
- 🫧Why are bubbles round?
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