Not too long ago, Pocket ran a reprint of a piece that said that we really don't know how planes fly. Gee, the Bernoulli principle and other explanations did not suffice?
I then turned my attention to what might be the explanation and posted it on Twitter. I'm no longer on Twitter being as I could get no one to interact with me on that douchebaggy of a venue that is really only for the "blue checkmarks" and those who grovel at their feet.
Anyway, what I said was that the density of air could explain why planes fly. To every action there is an equal and opposite reaction--Einstein never killed that one, and that leads me ask, "have you ever tried to move a 4x8 plywood in the wind?" It's a terrifying task. The slightest wind will knock you over.
Likewise, if wind can easily push a 4x8 plywood, a plane's wings could just as easily push against the air, and when it does, it would compress the air thereby raising the density of the air, THEREBY causing the plane to float above the high density air that it created. At what air speed do hurricanes lift up entire buildings? I believe 150 mph does substantial damage. Now, what is the speed of a jumbo jet? it's in the hundreds, of course, and we need to ask ourselves, what difference is there between fast moving wind and a fast moving wing? I submit that there is little difference. Further, what is it that prevents a large surface like a wing from plowing through air vertically and parallel to the Earth? Is it not simply the density of air? What is it that makes it so impossible for a plane to get out of a plunge? Is it not the density of air now equalized on both sides of the wing such that sideways movement locks the wing in place because of the higher density of air it haplessly creates?
Air, unlike liquids, is compressible and it's entirely possible for the air to be so compressed that it's density is higher than that of the plane. Occam's razer comes through for us. If you doubt that air can compress and turn itself into a "solid" just consider why a comet or asteroid would break up as it enters our atmosphere--it is not because of friction although friction can make it easier for matter to break apart once it encounters--or creates--air of sufficiently high density.
It only seems counterintuitive because we easily plow through air with our hands but it should be realized that the more you compress air, the harder it becomes to continue compressing with that same amount of force.
Does a submarine also move vertically by a similar phenomenon? Liquids are not compressible and the simple answer is one of Newtonian laws. However, ultimately, yes, it's the same phenomenon except that you need to compress air before your plane can act like a submarine in water.
Before I leave, I must offer some explanation with regard to gliders. They are not propelled by engines. So, what gives? Well, it is my understanding that a glider will eventually be forced to land but note that its wing surface to airplane weight ratio higher than that of a powered plane's. That greater surface area is needed to enable a higher density air to lift the glider. Interestingly, a glider seeks hot air currents to fly higher and hot air is definitely LESS dense than cold. What gives? Well, Newton to the rescue, that hot air is moving upward and when it hits the wings of the glider, it compresses and allows the glider to float on it--just like the powered airplane with smaller wing surface to airplane weight ratios.
Finally, let's consider the parachute. It never falls straight down but always to one side or the other. Those parachutists who land on a bullseye have some rudimentary steering available to them. The parachute is like a heavy object falling down a hillside. It creates a dense layer of air that lends some support but inevitably it will sink towards the less dense air surrounding it. That is, unless you cut a small hole at the center but what is that hole doing? Is it not releasing the high density air that is trapped within it?
So how does a parachute work vis-a-vis our theory? Because of the higher density of air within the parachute and the greater kinetic energy of that air, the parachute is able to remain open and thereby lower the total density of parachute+air+parachutist allowing the "object" then to float through the atmosphere on its way down.
