Flymap Learn

Flight Physics

Explainers about lift, drag, speed, pressure, and the physical forces that make flight possible.

The Four Forces of Flight

Every airplane in the sky is being affected by four main forces at the same time.

2 min read

Lift is the force that helps an airplane rise into the sky.

2 min read

Whenever an airplane moves through the air, the air resists that movement.

2 min read

Airplane wings are not flat by accident.

2 min read

One of the most important ideas in flight is angle of attack.

2 min read

As an airplane climbs higher, the air around it changes.

2 min read

At high altitude, the air is much thinner than it is near the ground.

2 min read

In aviation, "speed" does not always mean just one thing.

2 min read

A stall sounds dramatic, but it does not mean the engine has stopped.

2 min read

At the ends of many modern wings, you can see small upward or angled extensions.

2 min read

An airplane does not just care about how heavy it is.

1 min read

Turning an airplane is not just a matter of pointing it sideways.

2 min read

Warm weather may feel harmless on the ground, but for airplanes it can make takeoff more demanding.

1 min read