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How does lift *actually* work?

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Inverted Vantage

Formerly Unknown Target
Joined
Jun 19, 2008
Messages
1,116
I know this is a really "duh" question to be asking on this forum, but as I've explained lift to people, I've always gotten caught up in the details.

There's the Burnelli theory, the most well known one, which doesn't account for aircraft flying upside down.

There's the vortex lift theory, where spanwise flow from the fuselage to the wing tips creates a vortice at the end which curls around and pushes up the wing, which doesn't really account for a lot, so I think I'm wrong here?

And then there's the flat plate theory, which is basically air hitting the bottom of the wing is forced down, creating an equal and opposite reaction upwards. However how does this account for lift at 0 degrees AoA?

Thanks to anyone who answers and doesn't just laugh. XD
 
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