Originally posted by Gabriel
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For the airfoil in figure 3.6, under cruise conditions, there is almost no high pressure on the bottom of the wing; indeed there is mostly suction there.5 The only reason the wing can support the weight of the airplane is that there is more suction on the top of the wing. (There is a tiny amount of positive pressure on the rear portion of the bottom surface, but the fact remains that suction above the wing does more than 100% of the job of lifting the airplane.)
Of course it doesn't violate my Newtonian explanation.
Here's where I want to start:
The wing produces circulation in proportion to its angle of attack (and its airspeed). This circulation means the air above the wing is moving faster. This in turn produces low pressure in accordance with Bernoulli’s principle. The low pressure pulls up on the wing and pulls down on the air in accordance with all of Newton’s laws. This causes the wing to lift upward.
Not a bad start.
Now, there are things here that I call "conveniences". Think of them like plot conveniences. You are asked to accept them without understanding them. Annoyingly curious five-year-olds don't do that, and they shouldn't have to (up to a point where things become too technical for them, which is beyond, I think, where we need to go with this).
To begin with, 'The wing produces circulation' is, at this stage, a 'convenience'. It needs further explanation...
So, when I find time, I'm back to reading your link...
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