**For gravity, drag, thrust, and lift, also go to the '4 Forces of Flight' page to see a picture of a plane with the four forces and their definitions.
Gravity - pulls the plane down.
Drag - holds the plane back (friction with the air and the plane).
Thrust - pushes or propels the plane forward.
Lift - pushes the plane up.
**For the Process of Lift and the Bernoulli Effect, also go to the 'Process of Lift/Bernoulli Effect' page to see a diagram.
Bernoulli Effect - where there is a fast moving stream of air, there is less air pressure.
Process of Lift - fast moving air over the top of the wing creates low air pressure on top of the wing. Slow moving air on the bottom of the wing has more air pressure. All this helps to create lift.
**For pitch, directional, and spiral, also go to the '3 Types of Stability' page to see pictures of each stability with the definition.
Pitch - helps keep the plane's nose from going too far up or too far down; the elevator helps control this.
Directional - also known as "yaw"; keeps the plane from going too far to the right or left; the rudder and vertical stabilizer help control this.
Spiral - also known as "roll"; keeps the plane from spinning; the dihedral angle and ailerons help control this.
**Go to the 'Ken Blackburn' page to click on the link to Ken Blackburn's website and a video of his World Record throw!
Ken Blackburn - World Record holder for the duration of a paper airplane over level ground; his paper plane was in the air for 27.6 seconds; Blackburn estimates his hand was traveling at 60 mph when he released the plane.
**For aileron, flap, vertical stabilizer, rudder, elevator, horiztontal stabilizer, main wing, and fuselage, also go to the 'Parts to an airplane' page to see a blank picture of an airplane with these same words and definitions just below it.
Aileron - helps control banking for a turn; (spiral stability).
Flap - on main wing closer to the fuselage; used for increasing lift or drag.
Vertical Stabilizer - helps keep the plane's flight steady.
Rudder - attached to the vertical stabilizer; helps control direction to the right or left (directional stability).
Elevator - attached to the horizontal stabilizer; helps control the nose of the plane so it doesn't go too far up or down (pitch stability).
Horizontal Stabilizer - helps keep the plane's flight stay.
Main Wing - helps keep the plane in the air.
Fuselage - the body of the plane; holds people and cargo.
Gravity - pulls the plane down.
Drag - holds the plane back (friction with the air and the plane).
Thrust - pushes or propels the plane forward.
Lift - pushes the plane up.
**For the Process of Lift and the Bernoulli Effect, also go to the 'Process of Lift/Bernoulli Effect' page to see a diagram.
Bernoulli Effect - where there is a fast moving stream of air, there is less air pressure.
Process of Lift - fast moving air over the top of the wing creates low air pressure on top of the wing. Slow moving air on the bottom of the wing has more air pressure. All this helps to create lift.
**For pitch, directional, and spiral, also go to the '3 Types of Stability' page to see pictures of each stability with the definition.
Pitch - helps keep the plane's nose from going too far up or too far down; the elevator helps control this.
Directional - also known as "yaw"; keeps the plane from going too far to the right or left; the rudder and vertical stabilizer help control this.
Spiral - also known as "roll"; keeps the plane from spinning; the dihedral angle and ailerons help control this.
**Go to the 'Ken Blackburn' page to click on the link to Ken Blackburn's website and a video of his World Record throw!
Ken Blackburn - World Record holder for the duration of a paper airplane over level ground; his paper plane was in the air for 27.6 seconds; Blackburn estimates his hand was traveling at 60 mph when he released the plane.
**For aileron, flap, vertical stabilizer, rudder, elevator, horiztontal stabilizer, main wing, and fuselage, also go to the 'Parts to an airplane' page to see a blank picture of an airplane with these same words and definitions just below it.
Aileron - helps control banking for a turn; (spiral stability).
Flap - on main wing closer to the fuselage; used for increasing lift or drag.
Vertical Stabilizer - helps keep the plane's flight steady.
Rudder - attached to the vertical stabilizer; helps control direction to the right or left (directional stability).
Elevator - attached to the horizontal stabilizer; helps control the nose of the plane so it doesn't go too far up or down (pitch stability).
Horizontal Stabilizer - helps keep the plane's flight stay.
Main Wing - helps keep the plane in the air.
Fuselage - the body of the plane; holds people and cargo.