Why do planes just stop in mid air?

Why Planes Just Stop in Mid-Air

Aircraft remain airborne due to the continuous generation of lift, which counteracts the downward force of gravity. Lift is primarily produced by the aircraft’s wings, which are designed to create a pressure difference between the upper and lower surfaces. As air flows over the curved upper surface of the wing, it travels a greater distance than the air flowing over the flatter lower surface. This difference in distance causes the air over the upper surface to move faster, creating a region of low pressure. The higher pressure air on the lower surface then pushes the wing upwards, generating lift.

The amount of lift generated is directly proportional to the aircraft’s speed and the angle of attack. The angle of attack is the angle between the wing’s chord line (a straight line drawn from the leading edge to the trailing edge) and the oncoming airflow. As the angle of attack increases, so does the lift generated. However, if the angle of attack becomes too great, the airflow over the wing can become turbulent and cause the wing to stall.

A stall occurs when the airflow over the wing separates, causing a sudden loss of lift. This can happen if the aircraft’s speed is too low, if the angle of attack is too high, or if the airflow is disturbed by something like a gust of wind. When a wing stalls, the aircraft will abruptly lose altitude and may enter a spin.

To prevent stalls, pilots must maintain a sufficient airspeed and angle of attack. They also need to be aware of the factors that can affect airflow over the wings, such as gusts of wind or turbulence.

In conclusion, planes do not just stop in mid-air. They remain airborne due to the continuous generation of lift by their wings. However, if the aircraft’s speed is too low, the angle of attack is too high, or the airflow is disturbed, the wings can stall and the aircraft will lose altitude.