What Are the Four Main Airplane Parts That Keep it in Flight?
In the 18th century, Swiss scientist and mathematician Daniel Bernoulli studied the movement of fluid. His results, eventually known as the Bernoulli Principle, explain how airplanes stay in flight. Air movement creates an upward force greater than gravity, which attempts to pull the plane toward earth. Four main parts work together to keep airplanes in flight.
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Wings
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Airplane wings are one of the four main parts involved in flight. Wings generate the lift required to keep airplanes in the air. Lift occurs as the plane is pushed through the air. Slats or holes installed on the front of each wing increase lift. Flaps that control both lift and drag, depending on the flight phase, are installed on the rear of each wing. To reduce drag, or resistance, smaller slanting wings are placed on the tips of the larger wings. Aircraft wings change shape during takeoff and landing.
Engine
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Turbine engines provide thrust, another main element of keeping airplanes in flight. Thrust pushes the aircraft through the air, producing lift. Aircraft engines are located beneath the wings or at the rear of the main body, or fuselage. Smaller aircraft use propellers to create thrust. Depending on the size, modern planes are equipped with two to four engines. Pilots electronically control engine power during flight. Larger aircraft are designed to fly safely on fewer than all engines.
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Cockpit
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The aircraft controls that keep the plane in flight are housed in the cockpit. Located in the front of the aircraft, the cockpit is large enough for a pilot, co-pilot and one to two observers. Among the controls are an ignition switch, battery and alternator power switches, landing and navigational light controls, throttle controls and cockpit temperature controls. Only airline executives or Federal Aviation Administration members are allowed to be cockpit observers. Passengers are not allowed in the cockpit during flights. Flight attendants are not allowed in the cockpit during takeoff and landing.
Fuselage
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The fuselage, or body, of a plane holds all the airplane parts together. Three sections, the cockpit, cabin and cargo hold, are housed in the fuselage. Body design depends on the type of aircraft and must withstand air pressure generated during flight. Sleeker designs permit high speed flight while wider designs carry more passengers. To easily achieve lift, lighter materials, such as aluminum, carbon-reinforced plastic or titanium, are used in aircraft fuselage design. Design flaws can lead to structural failure.
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