YouTube link here. Check out Tony’s new glasses!
This week, we have no emails, so we kill time with the usual movies and TV. Also, Tony got new glasses! Then we finish out the episode with William explaining science to Tony. Enjoy!
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I *think*, if I remember correctly, William didn’t quite get the explanation of lift correct here. The cross section of a wing (or any lift-generating surface, I assume) is such that the top portion of it is longer than the bottom. So then if you imagine a forcing a wing along through the air (with thrust from the jet), the air that is pushed out of the way by the wing which goes under the bottom is forced to travel slower than the air going over the top of the wing surface because it has further to travel. Further to travel means it’s going faster. And then some fluid dynamics regarding the slower and faster air means a pressure differential and lift (upward force) generated. If memory serves, you want different wing profiles for different parts of the flight – takeoff, cruise, landing. On landing, you’ll notice flaps being deployed on the leading and (mostly) trailing edge of the wing to change the profile for greater lift at slower speeds.
To be fair, tilting a surface (like, the ailerons on the wing) can deflect the airflow, like your hand sticking out a car window, to affect an upward/downward or rolling motion. I think William did mention that too.
Someone correct me if I’m wrong! I’m both trying to remember what William said and recall all this physics stuff I was once into.
Okay, I’m the original ignoramus who posed the question, so I don’t know. If you eggheads can’t figure out which of you has it correct, then where does that leave me? Flying without knowing why? Out of the question!