Why are airplane wings teardrop shaped?
Why are airplane wings teardrop shaped? Airplanes' wings are curved on top and flatter on the bottom. That shape makes air flow over the top faster than under the bottom. As a result, less air pressure is on top of the wing. This lower pressure makes the wing, and the airplane it's attached to, move up.
Why do planes not flap their wings?
Short answer: Because planes are larger than birds. Flying by flapping their wings works very well for birds and insects. Machines that fly this way, known as ornithopters, have been built, some large enough to carry a man. But larger than that and the laws of physics become a serious problem.
Has a plane ever lost a wing?
A jet was forced to make an emergency landing at Tampa International Airport after it lost part of its wing in the air. Officials at Tampa International Airport said a Cessna Citation was at 27,000 feet near St. Petersburg when the pilot lost the left winglet and part of the wing.