How airplane still flies with air at altitude pressing down on it
Asked by: theellana 2591 views Aerodynamics
I'm currently training for my FI rating and was doing a demo class with cfi's yesterday. As I was discussing the theories of lift (did an introduction with air), one instructor asked how an airplane still flies (ex. At 2000') when air directly above it (troposphere to 2000') is pressing down on the airplane.
I said it was because our airplane is also exerting an equal and opposite force against the air (3rd law) pressing downward on it, but they were unsatisfied. I wanted to say not all air above the airplane is pressing down on it (only the air being affected) but it might contradict my statement where i said "the atmosphere is being held together by the gravity".I feel the answer is extremely simple but I got really lost.
Any help? Thanks
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