How does a plane takeoff and fly?

Updated February 21, 2017 | Factmonster Staff

How does a plane takeoff and fly?

It’s easy to understand how a bird can fly—it’s lightweight and has wings. But how does a huge airplane get off the ground? The plane’s engine pushes the plane forward. As it moves, air flowing around the wings creates lift. The lift increases as the plane gathers speed. The plane takes off once there’s enough lift to overtake gravity. When the plane’s in the air, thrust from the engines pushes the plane forward.


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